Komen and Planned Parenthood

Oh, well, what can one expect from Komen!

Cut off funding/support for Komen! (Occupy Komen!)

That organization has shown all too many times that it cares more about itself as a political entity than about the women it purports to represent. And if anyone says "oh but they help people" I will puke. So does Hamas - Hamas does a lot of charity work, as a ,matter of fact. So do some Saudi organizations that supported Al-Qaeda. Not comparing Komen to them, but saying that charity organizations are not all created equal by any means. Some care more about themselves than anyone else. Komen already hurts us by endorsing misinformation about cancer ("it's curable if caught early") - we don't need this.

*THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY RANT.*

Komen claims that it cut off support because Planned Parenthood was under investigation by Congress. Here is an AP report just out tonight:

NEW YORK - The nation's leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the
Cure, is halting its partnerships with Planned Parenthood affiliates - creating
a bitter rift, linked to the abortion debate, between two iconic organizations
that have assisted millions of women.

The change will mean a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants,
mainly for breast exams.

Planned Parenthood says the move results from Komen bowing to pressure from
anti-abortion activists. Komen says the key reason is that Planned Parenthood is
under investigation in Congress - a probe launched by a conservative Republican
who was urged to act by anti-abortion groups.

The rupture, which has not been publicly announced as it unfolded, is
wrenching for some of those who've learned about it and admire both
organizations.

"We're kind of reeling," said Patrick Hurd, who is CEO of Planned Parenthood
of Southeastern Virginia - recipient of a 2010 grant from Komen - and whose
wife, Betsi, is a veteran of several Komen fundraising races and is currently
battling breast cancer.

"It sounds almost trite, going through this with Betsi, but cancer doesn't
care if you're pro-choice, anti-choice, progressive, conservative," Hurd said.
"Victims of cancer could care less about people's politics."

Planned Parenthood said the Komen grants totaled roughly $680,000 last year
and $580,000 the year before, going to at least 19 of its affiliates for
breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services.

Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun said the cutoff results from the charity's newly
adopted criteria barring grants to organizations that are under investigation by
local, state or federal authorities. According to Komen, this applies to Planned
Parenthood because it's the focus of an inquiry launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns,
R-Fla., seeking to determine whether public money was improperly spent on
abortions.

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ap-exclusive-amid-abortion-debate-komen-cancer-charity-halting-grants-to-planned-parenthood/2012/01/31/gIQA5LbffQ_print.html

THANK YOU Dansmom for letting us know.

Why is anyone surprised - Komen will never get another dime from me - they should be ashamed of themselves - gutless wonders.

This makes me so mad I could spit.  I've fired off a letter to Komen.  They can take their pink ribbons, pink tshirts and fluffy pink boas and stuff them.   

I hereby sever all ties with Susan G. Komen foundation.

I am not going to go into the issues regarding right to life and such but this truly infuriates me. My wife Kimberly was a huge supporter of PP with regard to women's health and getting health screening for less fortunate women.

Susan G Komen was interested in publishing some of Kimberly's poems in a book but I am now writing them and telling them that because of their issue with PP I am not allowing them to publish any of Kimberly's material. Instead I will look for another publisher and then donate any proceeds to Planned parenthood.

I ask the what is more deceitful? the organizati­on which tries to help women in all aspects of health which may included abortions or an organizati­on which is so narrow minded at one issue they would rather see people suffer and die from cancer just to get their way?

 Below is a copy of an email I just sent to our local Komen chapter. I'm just sick about this. 

I am just writing to let you know that I have removed my name from your mailing list and will not be making any further donations to Komen because of the decision to cease funding to Planned Parenthood. Instead of the $1000/year donation we make to Komen along with our support for my doctor’s Race for the Cure team, I have sent $2,500 to Planned Parenthood. A mammogram saved my life, and I used Planned Parenthood as my primary care provider many years ago when I was a college student and before I had a job with insurance. They provided reasonably priced care including PAP’s. To politicize this and punish poor women is disgraceful.

I must say that I am very happy about the news that Komen has decided to stop funding PP......

(for the most part).........

Before you ladies have cardiac arrest PP does not provide Breast examines.......some very large PP clinics will provide a physical examination but you must sign a waiver that if later a lump or thickening are discovered they are not held libel........PP does not provide the experts and technicians for Breast care.......they do provide very good care for PAP smears and cervical screening because those samples are easily obtain and are sent to an independent laboratory for readings.....it leaves PP free of liability (law suits) if screenings are not read correctly....or missed....

And I know that many of you know that I am conservative but believe me this has nothing to do with my pro life stand or my political affiliation.....

 I truly believe that money raised for  Breast Cancer Research should be used for just that......and as far as I know PP does not do Breast cancer research at all....they are in the family planning business and that is what they do.........walking for the cure has nothing to do with PP.......

How many threads here at bc.org scream for someone to find "us the cure"......a couple of million dollars going to PP from Komen doesn't get us any closer to that dream.......

I would not have a problem at all in Komen could go to PP and request all their donated money be used for PAP screening but unfortunately PP does not guarantee where any of their donations will be used .....and Komen doesn't raise funds for Cervical Cancer........

Family planning and Breast Cancer Research are two completely different issues and I believe that an nonprofit organization that is raising funds for Breast Cancer Research should stick with University Hospitals, Laboratories and Research centers that are doing the work to help us stay alive........and possibly some day finding that allusive cure.........

shokk

http://www.signon.org/sign/susan-g-komen-for-the

I signed

I"m siding with the minority on this issue.  If Planned Parenthood has some policies that might increase the risk of getting breast cancer, it is right that Komen should not be supporting them.

Empowering people and ensuring quality of care for all are two thirds of the "Komen promise." Providing resources (if even as a referral) to all women (especially underserved women) is perfectly aligned with their mission. This relationship was not ended due to a desire to curtail mission creep (even Komen is not claiming that). It was ended due to political pressure, plain and simple. Our health and access to care should not be politicized, and Komen is large enough and strong enough to have more backbone than this.

You're right, lago, they don't really know what causes breast cancer, but they do know that there are risk factors, and some of these risk factors are the things that Planned Parenthood does. Komen isn't stopping people from making their own choices.  They are simply refusing to support some of those choices.

The argument that I am using here is similar to the argument used by some people on this board against Pink Campaigns in October; that some of them are supporting businesseses whose products cause breast cancer.  But as you said, nobody really knows what causes breast cancer. Still, should a breast cancer organization be supporting anyone who could be causing or aggravating breast cancer?  I don't think so.  People are still free to use Planned Parenthood services if they choose. 

BooBoo,

When you say, "people are still free to use Planned Parenthood services if they choose," that is the whole point. Without funding for certain services, they will not be there for people to choose. Many times these cuts effect people who don't have many choices to begin with, especially with cuts to so many state programs. 

Cooka, well said.  Komen won't open "low cost" screening locations because they own for-profit cancer care centers. They cut off funding for PP to encourage donations by rich right wingers.  They hired a conservative, ex gubanatorial candidate with clearly stated anti-choice stances to seal the deal.  She is working with Stearns in congress to provide legal smokescreen to justify this cold, unethical decision to throw poor women to the wolves.  This was a calculated, profit-driven series of actions designed to chase the big bucks.  I remind you that Komen is also suing people who use the phrase "for the cure" because it is their "branding."  I would also remind you that Komen "uninvited" Israeli medical researchers to their summit after mid-eastern money and resources were threatened. Those of you who are against PP are against women's health services for poor and underserved populations. Yes, PP may provide services that you do not believe in, but nobody is forcing you or others to get them.  I like to make my own choices, and  my choice right now is to pull my dollars from Komen and send them to Planned Parenthood, the organization that saved my life as a teenager, and saved my friend's life as an adult.

Im pro-life! Included in that is life for women who need breast cancer screening and other vital health care. No suprise that komen, "for the money" would make this kind of decision tho!