<p>“Planned Parenthood is not a breast cancer organization. It is what it is and if one believes in the absolute right of women to an abortion on demand, then don’t be shy about owning that. Planned Parenthood provides abortions and birth control. If you value those services, by all means donate, but don’t pretend.”</p>
<p>No pretending, but it does so many other things for women. When I was pregnant with my first child, I had my pregnancy test done there. The receptionist asked me quietly what I was going to do, and I said, “I’m married, we were trying to have a baby, I’m happy!” She yelled out, “She’s going to have a baby!” And the entire room started clapping and cheering. </p>
<p>I received all my prenatal vitamins (only $5 a bottle) and pregnancy counseling there. They basically provide GYN services for women, quite inexpensively. This is a necessary function, try getting those services without health insurance elsewhere.</p>
Which is great and important and valuable. But what PP doesn’t do is mammograms and biopsies. Annual breast exams are part of the overall health exam, not separated as to breast cancer, so it’s totally reasonable for a breast cancer organization to put its resources elsewhere.</p>
<p>Personally, I think both organizations are pretty awful. When that money is involved it corrupts everything.</p>
<p>No, of course they don’t generally do them; most PP clinics don’t keep radiologists on staff to read mammograms, etc. What they do is refer people to radiology clinics to have mammograms, and either use the funds they receive to pay for them, or send people to places that they know will give substantial discounts to PP referrals. I know “PP doesn’t do mammograms” is something that’s been frequently repeated in the last few days to justify the cessation of funding (often with the implication that PP was somehow taking the money under false pretenses, not that I believe zoosermom is implying that), but the argument doesn’t make sense to me, given what I just pointed out. Functionally, the effect is the same as if they did do mammograms, etc. themselves.</p>
<p>The only way to reduce demand for abortions is to increase knowledge of and access to birth control. But PP is not just about abortions and birth control. It’s also *very much *about women’s health. When DH was diagnosed with cancer, I had to take care of all my health issues immediately because we were going to be moving to Houston and I wanted to focus solely on him. Dentist, mammogram, annual checkup, eye doctor, etc. I could not get into my GYN for an appointment before we left, so I went to PP and got a pap smear and a full GYN workup. </p>
<p>I paid full price because I am not low income. But women who cannot afford expensive GYN appts. can get their issues addressed at PP for a fraction of the cost. </p>
<p>I am very thankful to PP and all they do for women who might otherwise have to go without services described above. Abortion services are only a small part of what they are all about.</p>
I’m going to have to disagree on this one, I don’t think it’s the same at all. Again, I’m not anti-PP, I equally distrust both organizations.</p>
<p>
For the same reason some people would never donate to an organization founded by any other racist. It’s all about individual choices. We’re talking about private donations here and people can choose to whom they donate based on whatever criteria they select.</p>
<p>
So what are you all complaining about? A private organization exercised its freedom of choice and the the organization you support wasn’t harmed. </p>
<p>The fact is SGK is not about pregnancies, it is about breast cancer. Zooser stated the true fact here, PP does not do mammograms or biopsies, and that is their mission/goal, not birth control, abortions or STD testing.</p>
<p>They can have a BN in grants, but it comes to spending.</p>
<p>Would anyone of you go against SGK if they said the money they took, that exact amount from donating to PP, would go to creating 5 mobile buses where they would take them to inner cities and give mammograms to the uninsured? </p>
<p>emeraldkity4,</p>
<p>in that article it also stated:
</p>
<p>30 yrs equals 70 Million a yr to breast cancer research annually on avg, 70 million in 1982 would be much more than today in dollars. </p>
<p>Notice only 5 yrs ago they funded money to investigate BPA. I think that your post parsed what you feel personally, just as I parsed my post to illustrate what I feel personally. To me they are supporting looking into BPA, financially.</p>
<p>SGK has a board, it has limited funds. It is a private organization and everyone has the right to donate/support them or not.</p>
It’s not even about “women’s health” of which breast cancer is only a small part. PP is not about breast cancer, it’s about “women’s health” of which breast cancer is only a small part.</p>
<p>For some women, the only way they will be screened for breast cancer is to go to PP, where they will also receive a breast examination and education about self examination. These women do not have the luxury of a yearly mammogram.</p>
Since the annual exam is not enough after a certain age, then it’s clear that Komen’s funds should be going to mammography and not toward an organization (any organization) that doesn’t provide those services. I really like the mobile unit idea!</p>
Nah. It’s about disentangling from the abortion issue. The Komen executives should at least be honest. But, really, why? The organization swims in money and they all get theirs first.</p>
<p>A PP office in my neighborhood offers free after-school programs for teenagers during which volunteers take kids to museums and help with homework. It’s a site for periodic free dental exams. They also serve as a referral site for psychologists offering sliding scale counseling. I’ve always supported them, but until recently did not realize just how much certain PP offices do in certain areas.</p>
<p>As for Komen… well, I did send them a “shame on you” message, but I’m happy to see that my little email is but a drop in a very large, very public activist bucket.</p>
<p>women who utilize PP for their health care are educated on self exams. Most don’t need mammograms.Indeed the American Cancer society recommends for most women to start receiving mammograms at 40 and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says 50.</p>
<p>But this is neither here nor there regarding funding by Komen, after all the reason cited is that PP is under federal investigation. ( although Penn State & Parkland hospital are as well)</p>
<p>zoosermom, the funds that Komen gave to PP were used for breast cancer screenings - Komen doesn’t dispute that. (They were not used for any other services - after-school programs, etc.)</p>
<p>However things turn out, I think that it will cause people to better educate themselves about where Komen spends its money, who it aligns itself with, and whether donations may (or may not) be better directed elsewhere. I put that in the “good” category.</p>
<p>Breaking news: Komen to restore funding to PP. Obviously, they have been extremely damaged by their decision. However, imo, they won’t be able to turn back the clock and most of us will still never give them any more money. There are many other breast cancer organization to give money to.</p>
<p>“But should money contributed specifically for breast cancer research and treatment be used for this?”</p>
<p>Why are you assuming that the money from Komen was ever used for anything else but breast screening? Do you have proof the grant money from Komen is used for other things PP does?</p>