Komen and Planned Parenthood

Enjoyful

*banging head on table*

Komen donated money to PP for breast exams.  Will you punish women because  the organization that provides breast exams also prescribes birth control pills?  

208sandy

Oh Scoot - so frustrating trying to educate some people isn't it?

Iago - thanks for the link - I signed too.

SAB

Again Faye, we are just not going to agree. To me "unborn people" is an oxymoron, particularly in the earliest stages of pregnancy. I'm not a religious person, and rankle when other peoples beliefs drive laws I have to live by.  Let's just agree that education, medical services like cancer screenings to poor women and contraception save lives.  I hope that you are right and there will be other places that you can donate to with a clear conscience to support poor women.  Based on my long relationship with PP I am happy to support them in what I believe to be an ethical and important undertaking.

cmksocal

If you believe that PP contributes to breast cancer because it provides birth control pills and hence is an organization to be avoided/de-funded; then nearly all medical facilities should be avoided/de-funded because they too provide patients with birth control pills.

Colleen 

shokk

the war on women continues.....interesting.......

and yes Cheri.......it is always about money........and always will be........

shokk

momof3boys

@Scootaloo- I'm not interested in punishing anyone. I just believe that money donated to
Komen is INTENDED to go towards BREAST CANCER research... Yes, I know now that is naive. So now I will donate my dollars to actual organization that are truly researching for a cure.
Again, if you support Planned Parenthood (I'm not saying I don't support the services they provide, such as screenings and pap smears, etc) then donate directly to Planned Parenthood.
<<<<shaking my head>>>>

Enjoyful

That's right, shokkeroo.  It's a war to restrict women's rights.  To tell them what they can and cannot do with their own bodies.  To deny badly needed health care to lower-income women (a double sin to some).  And God help you if you're a lower-income minority woman.

Enjoyful

Thanks, momof3.  I don't think that Komen states that all donations go toward research, or do they?  Anyway, I did donate to PP today.

angelsister

I thought they spent an enormous amount on 'awareness'? Well breast exams and education for women on low income seems to fit into their mission statement? I still wouldnt spend another minute or dollar supporting their 'mission' which apparently only applies if you dont need PP

momof3boys

@Scootaloo- no I don't believe they state anything clearly. Their tag line is "Race for the Cure"... I believe that is deceptive advertising. I bet if we asked 100 women that donated to the "Race for the Cure" if they intended that over 40% of their donation actually went towards awareness campaigns and another 20% went towards organizational and foundation costs, and another CHUNK was donated by Komen to other causes, and less than 15% actually went to researching the causes and finding a cure for BREAST CANCER, we'd have a lot less teenage girls and women sleeping in tents for overnight walks and 3 day crusade walks. The fact that Komen donates to Planned Parenthood (again, nothing against Planned Parenthood) but turns down valid research grants rubs me the wrong way.

My husband has carcinoid cancer. When we donate to the Carcinoid Foundation, it does not dispense Money to say.... The March of Dimes (another wonderful organization, but not where my money was intended to go with THAT donation).

Enjoyful

Ah I see.  I don't know about the "Race for the Cure" dollars - perhaps they're dedicated for cure research?  Sounds like Komen needs some more transparency.

shokk

Wow I don't think I have ever been "shamed" before.......

shokk

Enjoyful

I don't see why not.

Anonymous

Breast screenings are a miniscule part of the services that Planned Parenthood provides, far smaller than their cervical cancer screening services, or their abortion services, and they are not available in most locations.  If the fallout from Komen's decision not to funnel money through Planned Parenthood results in more organizations stepping up to provide breast cancer screenings for low income women, or if the increase in direct donations to Planned Parenthood causes them to expand breast cancer screening services, that would be a good thing. 

If people who feel strongly that Planned Parenthood is the best entity to provide those screenings donate directly to them, rather then donating to Komen which in turn passes the money on to Planned Parenthood, overhead costs would be cut, and more money would be available to pay for screening of low income women rather than for administrative overhead.  People who choose not to support Planned Parenthood, but who care about breast cancer screenings are free to donate to other entities that provide services for low income women. 

Komen is a charity that raises money to fund research into a cure for breast cancer.  They should spend the money they raise the way they promise.  Why are so many so angry that they are finally taking small steps in that direction?

sanbar8771

Does anyone have the actual statistics of how much money actually goes to Komen research?? I heard it was only 19%. The remaining money goes to awareness. I think Im pretty effing aware.

Enjoyful

Haha sanbar!  Aren't we all?  

According to their latest financial report, Komen spent 24% on research.  Here's a link:

http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/SGKFTC_FY10AnnualReport.pdf  

Enjoyful

From Komen's "About Us" page:

That promise is now Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested more than $1.9 billion since inception in 1982. As the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we're working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® and the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure®, and generous contributions from our partners, sponsors and fellow supporters, we have become the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.  

bdavis

Komen has been headed in this direction for a long time now... Ever since I heard they were hiring lawyers and suing any other organization using the term FOR THE CURE, I was thinking they were getting off track. Who wants to donate money for BC and fin dout it was used to pay lawyers? Not me... I have supported AVON for a few years now (pre-dating my BC) ... at least I know the money is going to the right people!!

sanbar8771

Thanks Scoot, I am going to crunch some numbers.

Enjoyful

Avon also funds awareness, education, screening, and diagnosis.

And every organization has legal fees, though I found it abhorrent that Komen went after people using the "for the cure" slogan.  C'mon, people.  You're not McDonald's.

mimi791

Some days I just want to scream at everyone.  Yes, planned parenthood distributes birth control...hence the name "planned parenthood"  When I was 18 I became sexually active, and was thankful that there was a place that I could go to have a basic exam and receive birth control for free.  Obviously this was eons before I got breast cancer, but there is still no proven link between breast cancer and contraception, and I for one am not about to go blaming my regular light menstrual periods and choice not to have children on what happened.  Any type of breast screening is better than no breast screening folks and there are religious and ethnic groups that still grapple with even doing a self breast exam. So, if girls had a place to go that was free and non-judgemental perhaps we would have fewer teen pregnancies, fewer abortions and yes, more free breast care.  I for one am glad that I live in CT where we have a great local breast care organization which is where my money goes.

SpecialK

People may be angry that Komen presents itself as a fundraiser for "the cure", it is part of their name, but by their own admission only 24% of what they raise goes to research.  They have become such a machine that they spend almost an equal amount on administrative costs.  Also equal is the amount they spend on screening (15%) and treatment (7%), but their biggest single category of spending is education.  These figures come from their website.  With the economy being what it is I seriously doubt that any organizations, either private or govrnmental, will step up to fill the gap for underserved and uninsured women.

Enjoyful

*clapping*

Go mimi! 

lago

I thought Avon and Komen were now affiliated

Enjoyful

I agree, SpecialK.  What do you say to the women who won't have access to screenings because of Komen's decision?  

lago

There is list here of other organizations for breast cancer donations if you want to send your breast cancer donations to another place other than Komen (end of article).

http://www.good.is/post/give-komen-the-pink-slip-five-ways-to-support-women-s-health-for-all/ 

SpecialK

scootaloo - I say that I hope the decision makers at Komen can look themselves in the eye after caving to political pressure.  I haven't been a fan for a long time - they recently sent me a mailing with address labels asking for a donation.  I used a black marker and wrote over the text of their letter that I didn't need any address labels, what I personally need is a damned CURE and I mailed it back to them!  When they start putting their "cure" money where their mouth is I might re-think my position.  I can only hope that the publicity generated by this decision will highlight more resources that already exist for those who need help with screening.

dreaming

Komen is not the only one that provides low or no cost mammograms for low income women.

I am an activist and advocate since 1991 and also in the medical field.

All Community Clinics do the same,  non profit clinics women pay on scale.

I do not support abortion, because I work with pregnant women and their new babies.

I stopped giving to Komen because of this, now I would donate again.

Enjoyful

You stopped giving to Komen because they funded Planned Parenthood's breast cancer screening program? 

Doesn't make sense to me, but it's a free country.

dhmeiser

Here is a breakdown of how they spend their funds.

 As one can see the vast majority is not for research but for education.  The one thing I can not find is how much is spent on " administrative" aspects.

Quite frankly I don't care if you are pro-life or pro choice.  What I do care is that this choice should be up to the person(s) who has to make this choice and not from a legislative mandate.  Also this choice and its actions are between the god you believe in and yourself, others neeed to butt out!

 My choice was to prohibit Susan G Komen from using my wife's poems to support their politically driven agenda.