When it comes to women’s rights and women’s health, Susan G. Komen for the Cure no longer sees eye-to-eye with Planned Parenthood.
The country’s largest breast cancer charity has long been one of Planned Parenthood’s large private contributors, but announced this week it was withdrawing its financial support for breast cancer examinations and other women’s education programs at clinics.
Why? Representatives from the Komen foundation said the group had adopted a rule to not support organizations under congressional investigation. Republican Congressman Cliff Sterns has started an inquiry into whether or not Planned Parenthood used public money to provide abortions. But there’s another likely cause for the rift: Anti-abortion groups have lobbied the charity for years to stop supporting Planned Parenthood.
The casualty? Over half a million dollars and about 35,000 breast cancer exams at Planned Parenthood annually. Apparently reducing preventative breast cancer care is now part of the Komen foundation’s mission.
