Last night, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation announced it will stop funding Planned Parenthood’s lifesaving breast cancer screenings. Why? Because of political pressure from congressional conservatives and anti-choice extremists like those pushing personhood through Virginia’s General Assembly.
Planned Parenthood is often the only provider of health care services for low-income and underserved women. Komen’s support for Planned Parenthood has provided nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams and referrals for more than 6,400 mammograms in just the last 5 years. These cancer detection and prevention programs save lives, plain and simple.
Komen’s decision is an outrageous surrender to anti-choice extremists, like those in the Virginia legislature trying to pass personhood and defund Planned Parenthood. The far-right has relentlessly targeted anyone supporting women’s health programs, and it’s wrong.
Cancer isn’t pro-choice or pro-life. It’s shameful that a foundation supposedly dedicated to saving lives would bow to the far-right on a life and death issue like breast cancer screenings.
At this critical moment, we must stand with Planned Parenthood against these unconscionable attacks on women’s health. Sign our petition to the Komen Foundation calling on them to reject anti-choice extremists and resume funding Planned Parenthood!
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
