The breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, had decided to cut breast screening grants from Planned Parenthood, but reversed its decision on Friday after a national protest from the public. In Washington, 26 U.S. senators, all Democrats and an independent, signed a letter for Komen to reconsider its decision. The senators wrote, “It would be tragic if any woman — let alone thousands of women — lost access to these potentially lifesaving screenings because of a politically motivated attack.”
According to an ABC News source, who remains anonymous, the driving force behind the decision was Karen Handel, who stressed her anti-abortion views and often denounced Planned Parenthood during her campaign for governor in Georgia. Handel is currently Komen’s vice president for public policy. Mollie Williams, who was a top official and left the company in protest said, “I have dedicated my career to fighting for the rights of the marginalized and underserved,” she wrote. “And I believe it would be a mistake for any organization to bow to political pressure and compromise its mission.”
