Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood: Pro-Life People Should be Warned

Life News ^ | 5/24/10 | Hannah Carter

[wagglebee]

LifeNews.com Note: Hannah Carter is the director of education for Georgia Right to Life, a statewide pro-life group. This opinion column originally appeared on the GRTL blog web site.

Like many families, my grandmother and great-grandmother both had breast cancer. The issue of wanting to fight what harms your family or friends is noble. So when I tell people that I do not support Susan G. Komen an organization that exists to “fight breast cancer”, I normally get the look of one: why would you abandon your family or two: oh there goes one of those extremist.

However, my reasons are not that extreme, but rather principled.

I'm sure many of you reading this article have also been confronted with the issue of if I ‘m pro-life then how can I support an organization that supports the nation’s leading abortion provider. Hopefully, the following principles can shed some light on how to respond sympathetically, yet firm with why you cannot wear pink, or join the race, or all the various ways that Susan G. Komen is supported.

Principle # 1 Don't give to organizations that promote the shedding of innocent blood.

If this were a list of commandments, we could start with Thou Shall Not Kill. However, Proverbs 6:17 states that one of the seven things God hates are hands that shed innocent blood.

Unfortunately, Susan G. Komen has given over $3 million dollars between 2003 and 2008 to Planned Parenthood which is the nation’s leading abortion provider.

While Susan G. Komen makes claims that these grants go for breast exams, once the funds go to Planned Parenthood they are fungible. For example, you can throw two twenty dollar bills into a purse one from a friend and one from your own account, but when you go to pay the light bill you use both.

The same is true with Planned Parenthood’s money it receives from Komen. Whenever someone applies for a grant they can say that while this $5,000 is going to breast cancer research, 20 percent of that money is going to pay for administrative costs like keeping the lights on and paying rent. So in essence, the money that people are raising to fight breast cancer is also going to keep the lights on at Planned Parenthood.

According to the 2008 Annual Report from Planned Parenthood, breast cancer services decreased by 4% and abortion procedures increased by 6%. In 2008, Susan G. Komen gave $731,000 to Planned Parenthood.

Principle # 2 Know and Recognize the Risk Factors for the Disease You are Trying to Prevent.

There are certain risks that can increase an individual’s chance of getting breast cancer. While Susan G. Komen says that they believe in knowing your risk factors, they have repeatedly denied the link between breast cancer and one of the greatest avoidable risk factors, abortion.

According to Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, “29 out of 38 worldwide epidemiological studies show an increased risk of breast cancer of approximately 30% among women who have had an abortion.”

When a woman has an abortion she interrupts the natural process of estrogen production and breast development. When a woman first becomes pregnant her body produces a Type 1 carcinogen, cancer causing agent, estrogen in order to nourish and provide for the baby. If the mother has her child, her body stops producing as much estrogen and her breasts mature. However, if that process is interrupted, the estrogen production continues and her breasts stay in an immature state, making them more susceptible to breast cancer.

Groups like Susan G. Komen acknowledge that the level of exposure to estrogen throughout a woman’s lifetime is one of the greatest predictors for breast cancer. Sadly, they do not acknowledge that the increased exposure to estrogen after an abortion could increase risks of breast cancer as well. For an organization whose primary goal is “to have a world without breast cancer”, you would think they would try to let women know of all the risk factors for breast cancer, especially those that are preventable like abortion.

Recently, in an article by Jill Stanek, pro-life author and blogger, asked a very thought-provoking question, “Is it really “morally permissible” to cause breast cancer in one room if screening for it in the next?”

Stanek also noted in her article that recently that the ties between Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen are running deeper and deeper. See an excerpt below from Stanek’s article:

Three days ago a diligent pro-lifer in Washington state discovered on Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest’s IRS 990 forms that it has held a 12.5 percent share in Metro Centre, a mall in Peoria, Ill., since 2006. PPGNW is Washington’s largest abortion provider. (It is also currently under investigation for Medicaid fraud.) Metro Centre is owned by Eric Brinker. Eric Brinker is the son of Nancy Goodman Brinker, the founder of SGK.

Eric also sits on SGK’s board. Eric was a stand-up guy and responded to most of my initial questions. He explained in an e-mail, “This share represents a minority, non-operating interest in the business which they inherited from one of the original shareholders, a resident of Peoria. I, Eric Brinker, have controlling interest in Metro Centre.” But when I pursued follow-up questions, Eric wrote he was no longer available. So there is much still unanswered. Why didn't PPGNW cash in its inheritance? Why didn't Eric buy? If the share was willed, it was worth something. The real-estate market was thriving in 2006. It appears both partners are OK with this now four-year-old business partnership.

In essence, Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen’s nephew own a mall together.

The bottom line is that Susan G. Komen is not accomplishing its mission every time it gives to Planned Parenthood.

Every time a woman has an abortion and part of the money to fund that center staying open came from Komen, they are putting women at a greater risk for breast cancer.

Every organization no matter how noble the cause they claim to represent seems to be needs to be held accountable.

The question is will you?

To continue your search for the ties between Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood, please visit:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Awards 72 Grants to Planned Parenthood

Komen Giving to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Down as Donations Drop

Planned Parenthood Deepens Link to Breast Cancer Group

Susan G. Komen’s List of Grants to Planned Parenthood

Studies about the Link between Abortion and Breast Cancer

Report: Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood: A Visible Link

[wagglebee]

If the only thing the Susan G. Komen Foundation cared about was curing breast cancer they wouldn't spend a penny on anything else.

[wagglebee]

Pro-Life Ping

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

[Charles Martel]

If the only thing the Susan G. Komen Foundation cared about was curing breast cancer they wouldn't spend a penny on anything else.

Exactly. If they have surplus funds, why aren't they sharing them with other organizations that focus on finding cures for other types of cancer? A breakthrough in parallel research could move Komen closer to its goal, too.

But no, it's really all about the "sisterhood", which in turn results in national leadership that has leftward-leaning personal interests.

[G Larry]

If anybody cared about breast cancer they’d quit lying about the correlation with the pill.

Anybody seen a study using a group of women who NEVER USED THE PILL as the control group?

NO!
And you never will!

[Lorianne]

KFC is now sponsoring them.
Pink chicken buckets and everything.

[wagglebee]

I must have missed the news that wearing ribbons actually cured diseases.

[Desdemona]

Last week I had to tell a dear friend that despite having over six relatives who have had BC, I could not in good conscience support the "Race for the Cure". This is pro-life woman who really didn't look beneath the surface. well, she is now.

My question is, how much of this is propping up nefarious industries?

[wagglebee]

I know what you mean. Several women in my family have had breast cancer, I don’t know any family that hasn’t been affected by it. EVERYONE wants EVERY type of cancer cured and but if a cure is their goal, the Komen Foundation shouldn’t be spending money on ANYTHING else.

[cpforlife.org]

Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

[tiki]

I didn’t support Susan G. Komen Foundation before I knew the connection with Planned Parenthood and the other stuff. I didn’t support it because you just know that these groups are all about ways to siphon money because if they cared about everyone they’d be standing in support of all cancer survivors and victims, not just those with breast cancer.

Now I really, REALLY don’t support it.

[wagglebee]

Excellent point!

[redgolum]

Which is why I haven’t supported them. Even though my work is a big time sponser of Race for the Cure.

Get some flack about it but when I explain why most understand.

[Eagle Eye]

Isn’t it true that Komen finances breast cancer screening at planned parenthood clinics because there are more women who can benefit from the screening there at those clinics than if they set up screening at Pep Boys or the Sears tool section?

But hey, there’s always someone out there trying to take shots at someone trying to do a good thing.

You know, there are clinic bombers who think you’re pro-abort becuase compared to them you are.

[Desdemona]

In one way, being in nonprofit, I don’t have a problem with paying some overhead. I do have an issue with chapter offices of national 501c3s as I worked in one and know that they are much more corporate than not. And then giving $$$ to organizations outside of the mission...the least they could do is help pay off victims’ expenses. All the way around, it’s not a good way to run things, sexy disease or not.

[Eagle Eye]

Sadly very few people will get past the propaganda and go to the Komen site for their side of it, which of course directly opposes this posting.

Some people...ahem, ahem...care more about posturing than facts....if you aren’t totally with them they they will spread that word that you’re “pro abort”.

It is the pro-life version of the race card.

http://ww5.komen.org/plannedparenthood.html

http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Footer/MediaCenter/planned%20parenthood%20winer-09.pdf

[Eagle Eye]

Have you bothered to look at what Komen has to say?

[Lesforlife]

As transcribed from a recording of the meeting, CRTL asked, “Why aren’t women being told about the most preventable risk factor?” to which Komen’s Brandorff answered, “We tend to focus on the cure... we’re focusing our energies on that, rather than the preventative.”

http://kgov.com/bel/20081002

[Saundra Duffy]

I know an older man whose wife had an abortion back in the 60’s or early 70’s. She contracted breast cancer at a young age and died after a long battle.

I think the older generation doesn’t want to admit they participated in abortions. They are afraid and ashamed.

And this is why the link between abortion and breast cancer remains unknown.

I was one of those who tried to sue Planned Parenthood a long time ago. I’ll see if I can fine a link to the story.

Anyway, abortion stinks to High Heaven.

[Saundra Duffy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/797112/posts