NEW YORK (February 3, 2012)—Susan G. Komen for the Cure Friday reversed its decision cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood.
The organization announced the reversal in a statement issued Friday from Nancy Brinker and the Susan G. Komen board of directors apologizing “for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives.”
“We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities,” the statement said.
In the statement, Komen denied that the original change in funding criteria was for political reasons or to penalize Planned Parenthood.
“Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation. We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair,” Komen said in the statement.
Planned Parenthood is the focus of an inquiry launched by a congressman with encouragement from anti-abortion groups.
Supporters rallied around Planned Parenthood after renowned breast cancer charity said it was ending the grants.
Besides $400,000 in smaller donations from 6,000 people, Planned Parenthood received $250,000 from a family foundation in Dallas and a $250,000 pledge announced Thursday by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to match future donations.
Twenty-six U.S. senators signed a letter calling on Komen to reconsider its decision.
Komen, meanwhile, was deluged with negative emails and Facebook postings, accusing it of knuckling under to pressure from anti-abortion groups.
Cecile Richards, who heads the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, praised the decision Friday.
"The outpouring of support for women in need of lifesaving breast cancer screening this week has been astonishing and is a testament to our nation's compassion and sincerity,” she said.
"In recent weeks, the treasured relationship between the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and Planned Parenthood has been challenged, and we are now heartened that we can continue to work in partnership toward our shared commitment to breast health for the most underserved women,” she said.
“We are enormously grateful that the Komen Foundation has clarified its grant-making criteria, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Komen partners, leaders and volunteers,” she said.
John Pisciotta, director of Pro-Life Waco, issued a statement Friday in which he said the reversal “will only intensify the controversy over Komen entanglement with the nation’s leading abortion provider.”
“Those of us who see no reason for a Komen alliance with an industry leader in abortion were not calling for any changes in the law,” he said.
“We were simply calling for Komen to channel its breast-cancer funding to comprehensive healthcare organizations rather than a limited healthcare organization that is expanding its abortion business.”
