A major breast-cancer charity has cut off support for Planned Parenthood because of controversy over abortion and the group’s standing as a provider of generalized women’s health services. Planned Parenthood accused Susan G. Komen for the Cure of giving in to political pressure.
“We are alarmed and saddened that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation appears to have succumbed to political pressure. Our greatest desire is for Komen to reconsider this policy and recommit to the partnership on which so many women count,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in a statement.
Planned Parenthood has been under attack from conservatives at the state and federal levels. The Republican House has repeatedly tried to strip the organization of federal funding over the past year, and GOP governors have tried to keep state Medicaid dollars away from the organization.
The Komen decision won’t put Planned Parenthood out of business. The health services group says that the Komen foundation has provided 19 clinics between $500,000 and $700,000 since 2005. That money paid for nearly 170,000 breast examinations out of the 4 million performed at Planned Parenthood clinics. It also covered 6,400 mammogram referrals of the 70,000 total referrals made at clinics.
To make up for the loss, Planned Parenthood has established a “Breast Health Emergency Fund” of $250,000 from the Amy and Lee Fikes foundation.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation did not return an immediate request for comment. According to the Associated Press, Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun said that the charity cut off ties with Planned Parenthood because it is under investigation by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., concerning the possible improper spending of federal funds on abortions.
Planned Parenthood and Democrats on Capitol Hill characterize the Stearns investigation as a political tactic. Conservatives target Planned Parenthood because it supports abortion rights, but the organizations points out that its clinics are the only source of health care for many women.
Don’t donate to Susan G. Koman for the Cure
Breast Cancer Charity Pulls Funds From Planned Parenthood
GOD. I wish I could say that I was surprised, but my respect for SGK for the Cure has been sliding for years, mostly due to their increasingly tacky approach to fundraising and advocacy coupled with their slow slide into more conservative politics.
Their excuse for pulling the funds is total bullshit, as everyone, even the people involved with the investigation, knows that it’s not about this “improper spending” (which is ridiculous), but rather tarnishing the name of the organization and trying to tie them up in investigations. Either way, there has been no argument that SGK for the Cure’s funds were spent improperly or that their money being used for anything other than the vital screenings and mamogram referals for the people this crap charity purports to be wanting to help. This is not the first time Planned Parenthood has faced attacks like this and they have said numerous times that federal money doesn’t go towards abortions without a shred of evidence proving otherwise. Basically, this was a bullshit excuse to pull money so they wouldn’t face political criticism. Pathetic.
The only thing that SGK for the Cure has proven is that they are more concerned with turning shit pink and appearing politically correct than ensuring that women - particularly low-income, high risk women who rely on Planned Parenthood as their only source of medical help - get breast cancer screening.
Fuck them. Don’t donate a cent to them. Donate to Planned Parenthood or the numerous other cancer charities in the US that are doing fantastic work while putting women’s health and choice first.
Oh, and write to these asshats. There’s a form on the site.
(via somerset)
