February 2, 2012

CONNECTICUT SUSAN G. KOMEN FOUNDATION
WILL NOT PULL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING

New Haven Register

NEW HAVEN — As public outcry over the Susan G. Komen for a Cure Foundation’s decision to halt breast screening funding to Planned Parenthood escalates, the Connecticut branch of Komen vowed not to pull its funding.

“We want to let folks know that this decision was made by national. Connecticut was not involved,” said Ann Hogan, board president of Susan G. Komen for a Cure Foundation of Connecticut.

The national breast cancer charity is drawing intense fire for announcing it will stop funding Planned Parenthood while the women’s reproductive health care provider is under investigation over whether it used public money to pay for abortions. Leading the probe is Cliff Stearns, a Republican congressman from Florida who is anti-abortion.

Women’s health advocates have accused Komen of pulling the funding for political reasons, and thereby jeopardizing the health of tens of thousands of women who can’t otherwise afford breast cancer screening and mammograms.

However, Komen’s top leaders, in their first news conference since the controversy erupted, denied Planned Parenthood’s assertion that the decision was driven by pressure from anti-abortion groups.

“We don’t base our funding decisions ... on whether one side or the other will be pleased,” said Komen’s founder and CEO, Nancy Brinker, depicting the criticism as a mischaracterization of the charity’s goals and mission.

Komen has said the decision stemmed from newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations under investigation.

Brinker said Thursday that there were additional factors, notably changes in the types of breast-health service providers it wanted to support. However, she said grants would continue this year to three of the 19 Planned Parenthood affiliates — in Denver, California’s Orange County, and Waco, Texas — because they served clientele with few other breast-screening options.

Nationally and locally, Komen grants only fund breast cancer prevention services at Planned Parenthood.

Hogan said Komen Connecticut continues to be focused on its mission of raising money for breast cancer screening, treatment and outreach. Last year alone, it gave out $1 million in grants to local organizations, community health clinics and hospitals. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England has received $160,000 in funding from Komen over the past seven years, but does not have an application pending for next year. This year’s $38,000 grant ends June 30. So the national decision does not impact the local Planned Parenthood, for now, Hogan said.

“We are hopeful on the national level this thing gets resolved. Planned Parenthood down the road might want to reapply in the future,” she said.

Judy Tabar, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, said she is deeply disappointed by the national Susan G. Komen Foundation’s decision.

“We share the same goal as Komen, which is advancing women’s health and we just hope they rethink this decision at the national level so this important partnership can continue,” she said.

Tabar stressed that her organization has a great relationship with Komen Connecticut, which has funded almost 1,000 mammograms for uninsured and low-income women, specifically in Fairfield County.

Planned Parenthood is a frequent target for conservative groups that oppose the organization because it provides abortion services. According to the Planned Parenthood website, abortion services account for only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood services.

Tabar said 90 percent of the services cover breast and cervical cancer screenings, Pap smears, birth control, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

The controversy has lit up on Facebook, with hundreds vowing to boycott Komen over the decision and others praising Komen for taking a stand against an abortion provider.

State Rep. Pat Dillon, D-New Haven, criticized the national Komen for allegedly bowing to political pressure and withdrawing funding that could save women’s lives.

“I know people personally who were affected by breast cancer. It is just mind boggling that they would do this,” she said. “To cut off funds for breast cancer screening. They are not paying for abortions.”

Dillon said she was happy to hear that Komen Connecticut is supporting Planned Parenthood, but she is more concerned about loss of funding to Planned Parenthood clinics in the South, where more uninsured and low-income women rely on them for breast cancer screenings and other reproductive health services.

“I assume with all the publicity in the short term, there might be a burst in fundraising, but that’s not sustainable. It’s not a long-term plan,” he said.