Update: Top Susan G. Komen Official Resigns from LA Chapter
A major voice for women’s health pulled funding for Planned Parenthood, the organization announced Wednesday.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation, the largest private breast cancer research group in the nation and sponsor of several 5K and 10K charity runs in the Southland, decided to cut funding from the self-described sexual and reproductive health group.
“It is going to have a devastating impact on the services that women and families receive,” Solinda Vasquez of Planned Parenthood told NBC 4.
Komen grants to Planned Parenthood totaled about $680,000 last year and $580,000 the year before, according to the Associated Press. That money was allocated to 19 of its affiliated for breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services.
Of the 4 million breast exams performed by Planned Parenthood, nearly 170,000 were the result of Komen grants, according to the organization.
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Planned Parenthood feared the move by the foundation that made the pink ribbon famous was a result of pressure from anti-abortion groups.
"Unfortunately, it seems that politics is definitely a factor and politics should never be a favor in women’s health," Vasquez said.
The Komen foundation released a statement noting that their grant-making decisions were not about politics.
"We made the decision to implement stronger performance criteria for our grantees to minimize duplication and free up dollars," the statement read.
Those new standards require Komen to eliminate funding to groups under a federal investigation.
Planned Parenthood falls into that category because a House subcommittee started a probe into whether the organization uses federal money for abortion services.
But Planned Parenthood reported that only three percent of its budget goes to abortion services with the majority funding STD testing and treatment, and contraception.
Regardless of the reason, many Americans have shown their support for Planned Parenthood, which said it was flooded with donations after news of the split broke.
The organization received more than $400,000 from 6,000 donors in 24 hours, according to the Associated Press.
California legislators have also made their opinions known. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) severed ties with the Komen foundation, an organization he had close connections with, according to a press release.
Padilla, who was known as the "Pink Tie Guy" in L.A. County, said he can no longer support the foundation.
"By terminating these grants, Komen will be denying access to tens of thousands of women. These are critical services in communities of need," Padilla said in a statement. "That is not consistent with Komen’s stated mission as I understand it."
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