The pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness represents something else this week: betrayal.
The Susan G. Komen foundation – a non-profit which has used the pink ribbon symbol since its inception in 1982 – announced Wednesday that it would cut funding to women’s health organization Planned Parenthood that would have been used for cancer screenings for low-income, uninsured, and under-insured women. But in a complete reversal of this decision, the organization on Friday announced that it would continue to fund Planned Parenthood in the future.
“We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics — anyone’s politics,” a blog post by the organization read.
The decisions reversal was the result of an intense backlash from political officials and women’s health advocates, as well as the resignation of a senior official at Komen. By not funding Planned Parenthood, the long term implications would have created a more dangerous environment for women who cannot afford to pay for cancer screenings anywhere else but Planned Parenthood.
Research from the National Cancer Institute shows that regular breast cancer screenings in women aged 40 to 70 years old decreases breast cancer mortality. Most doctors agree that early detection is the best way to treat and cure cancer in patients.
The funding that Komen gave to Planned Parenthood through its five year partnership directly enabled 170,000 women to receive breast cancer exams and referrals for more than 6,400 mammograms. But by ending their partnership with Planned Parenthood, Komen essentially inhibited women from seeking the care and preventative services the organization has promoted for more than 30 years.
The initial decision to cut ties with Planned Parenthood was a calculated move by Komen whose new Vice President Karen Handel, who had publicly stated her opposition to abortion.
In 2010, while running for Governor of Georgia, Handel wrote on her campaign blog that she “did not support the mission of Planned Parenthood” and would end the group’s state government aid if elected, according to ABC News.
The Wednesday move was very much politically motivated, as Komen has been the target of a campaign launched by the anti-abortion organization, Life Issues Institute, to persuade Komen to halt its partnership with Planned Parenthood.
Ironically, reports show that less than 3% of Planned Parenthood’s funding goes to abortions. So, while anti-choice groups continue to pressure groups like Komen to stop funding organizations that support abortion, Planned Parenthood itself isn’t about abortion – it’s about cancer screenings, contraception and overall live saving health services.
As news blogger Dave Dayden explained to Politico, “Unless [Komen is] putting all that money into finding that cure for breast cancer they’ve been chasing all these years, the practical effect of this action is to deny women the ability to get screened for breast cancer – women who have nothing to do with this ideological fight over abortion.”
Planned Parenthood said it's working to raise money independent of Komen so that cancer screenings don't stop. The group launched a Breast Health Emergency Fund to ensure funding to affiliates that will lose their Komen funding.
On Thursday morning, Planned Parenthood said that donors had contributed $650,000 in 24 hours, nearly enough to replace last year’s Komen funding.
The bottom line is that organizations like Planned Parenthood provide the health services to women that help prevent cancer and actually reduce the demand for abortion by offering sex education, contraception and support. These are the kinds of programs that we should be supporting, not defunding.
Photo Credit: ladybugbkt
The Discussion
What cancer screening has to do with Planned Parenthood, I'll never know. However, the donations from private citizens to Planned Parenthood is a perfect example that no organized entity could ever out-give the American people. No More Government Intervention! Off-subject? YES.
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To politicize women's health alienates the humanity in what it means to provide safe health care to those who need it. Religion does not belong in politics, and politics most certainly does not belong in organizations who claim to exist on behalf of promoting cures for breast cancer.
Thank you for all the comments but to those who oppose abortion, please understand, this is not about abortion! This is about providing life saving cancer screenings to women who cannot otherwise afford them.
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Even though Komen reversed themselves, the damage is done. After the story broke, I learned more about the organization. Their business practices and distribution of donations have been called into question more than once. While Charity Navigator shows 80% of expenses are program related, the site does not define "program related". This episode raises a political side to Komen that has no place in this type of non-profit's operations. Today's reversal should not be a reason to forgive and forget. It should spark a closer look by those thinking of donating before making the decision.
Though I concur with personal funding and private donations (and mic for the article - well written), I don't concur with Federal funding. But you didn't argue that point directly yet some may infer that you did in "we should be supporting". Let a person or group give out of their heart and wealth to causes they feel just. But with our current budget, we as a nation do not need to borrow on the backs of today's youth and tomorrows children to give away money to a cause we can't afford to pay for as we budget deficits each year. If we were budgeting surpluses with little debt the story may be different. But that is not now nor fact. I believe in charity in time, money or both. Let each decide for themselves as individuals. Not impose debt.
To say "ironically, only 3% of their funding goes to abortion" - i.e., that's not important, shows that you do not understand the pro-life position. People who are pro-life think the fetus is a human being, and think abortion is murder. Saying "ironically, only 3%" is like saying "they only do a little bit of murder - what's the big deal?" A little bit of murder is a big deal! The evil of killing people swamps the good of cancer screenings.
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PP also is a significant provider of affordable and no cost birth control which helps eliminate the need for their "fetus killing" services. All funding is critical for women in poverty especially in the current economic environment.
Planned Parenthood provides far more healthcare options for low income women then it provides abortions. It is inaccurate to state the abortions is all they do. In poorer communities PP is often the only option for women. They screen for cancer, encourage screenings to id cancer early on.
This is the most ridiculous article I've seen on this site (granted I have not read them all). First of all Planned Parenthood is solely and only an abortion provider. PP has no interest in "women's health." It is a politically motivated organization geared toward destroying fetuses. That is all. Further, it does not at most facilities offer mammograms in the first place and that is what Komen is trying to fund. The fact is abortion is NOT "healthcare," and that is all PP is interested in.
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So now that Komen has seen the light (or more accurately the probable decline in their bank balance) one day after agressively defending their initial decision they have made a u-turn and we're all supposed to forget that they made an obnoxious, dangerous decision based only on reaction to conservative Republican anti abortion stands to put basicaly poor at risk women at greater risk of breast cancer by defunding the screening they depend on.
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Quick update on this story: Susan G. Komen has backed down and decided to reinstate its grants to Planned Parenthood. For more information: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72416.html
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