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As the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation implemented, then reversed, a policy to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood, local advocates in the fight against breast cancer watched with interest and concern.
Adriana Lopez of Dedham held a Zumba Fitness fundraising event in October and gave all proceeds to the Komen Foundation. She dedicated the event to her grandmother, Florence G. Jeffrey, who died of breast cancer 18 years earlier.
Lopez said she was disappointed with the foundation for its initial decision to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood.
“I strongly believe that if you are able to help organizations in need, you should do it,” Lopez said on Friday, Feb. 3.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure leadership announced on Tuesday, Jan. 31, that it would no longer provide grants for organizations under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. Planned Parenthood, under scrutiny by a conservative Republican urged to act by anti-abortion groups, fit that bill.
Public backlash was immense, leading to the foundation reversing the decision on Friday, Feb. 3, and to Komen Vice President Karen Handel stepping down on Feb. 7.
Lopez was pleased that there was such a response and that it led to results, she said.
She said the organization’s decision did damage, however.
“It left a bad taste in people’s mouths when they said they were parting ways with Planned Parenthood,” Lopez said. “The decision that Susan G. Komen made initially is going to stay with them for a while.”
At the same time, Lopez has a great deal of respect for the foundation’s longstanding effort to fight breast cancer, she said.
Lopez said she and those she has spoken to will continue to donate to Susan G. Komen, but she believes that there are others will not continue their support. She hopes that even if they do not donate to the Komen Foundation, that they still support the fight against breast cancer.
“I don’t want people to not donate,” Lopez said. “I hope this doesn’t tarnish the long-term effects of raising money for grants.”
Theresa Jay of Dedham founded the PinkRose Foundation in part because she did not trust large nonprofits such as Susan G. Komen to direct funds to fight breast cancer, she said on Friday, Feb. 3.
“The money should go to screen women for breast cancer; it doesn’t matter who’s doing the screening,” Jay said. “(The Komen Foundation) is getting money from all of us to prevent women from getting breast cancer.”
As the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation implemented, then reversed, a policy to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood, local advocates in the fight against breast cancer watched with interest and concern.
Adriana Lopez of Dedham held a Zumba Fitness fundraising event in October and gave all proceeds to the Komen Foundation. She dedicated the event to her grandmother, Florence G. Jeffrey, who died of breast cancer 18 years earlier.
Lopez said she was disappointed with the foundation for its initial decision to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood.
“I strongly believe that if you are able to help organizations in need, you should do it,” Lopez said on Friday, Feb. 3.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure leadership announced on Tuesday, Jan. 31, that it would no longer provide grants for organizations under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. Planned Parenthood, under scrutiny by a conservative Republican urged to act by anti-abortion groups, fit that bill.
Public backlash was immense, leading to the foundation reversing the decision on Friday, Feb. 3, and to Komen Vice President Karen Handel stepping down on Feb. 7.
Lopez was pleased that there was such a response and that it led to results, she said.
She said the organization’s decision did damage, however.
“It left a bad taste in people’s mouths when they said they were parting ways with Planned Parenthood,” Lopez said. “The decision that Susan G. Komen made initially is going to stay with them for a while.”
At the same time, Lopez has a great deal of respect for the foundation’s longstanding effort to fight breast cancer, she said.
Lopez said she and those she has spoken to will continue to donate to Susan G. Komen, but she believes that there are others will not continue their support. She hopes that even if they do not donate to the Komen Foundation, that they still support the fight against breast cancer.
“I don’t want people to not donate,” Lopez said. “I hope this doesn’t tarnish the long-term effects of raising money for grants.”
Theresa Jay of Dedham founded the PinkRose Foundation in part because she did not trust large nonprofits such as Susan G. Komen to direct funds to fight breast cancer, she said on Friday, Feb. 3.
“The money should go to screen women for breast cancer; it doesn’t matter who’s doing the screening,” Jay said. “(The Komen Foundation) is getting money from all of us to prevent women from getting breast cancer.”
Jay said she has always been uncomfortable with the Komen Foundation putting their pink ribbons on products that research has shown could be cancer causing.
“I’m all for preventative measures and staying away from products that cause breast cancer,” Jay said. “I have a lot of problems with (the Komen Foundation’s) campaigns.
Many, including Jay, stated that the Komen Foundation’s motives behind the policy were political. For Lopez, the important thing is that the disease is cured.
“Cancer is cancer; it’s not a political issue,” she said.
Staff writer Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at 781-433-8336 or deisenstadter@wickedlocal.com. Like The Dedham Transcript on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @DedhamTranscrip.
