All Else Confusion

The Susan G. Komen Foundation's Race for the Cure is this weekend in Washington, D.C. As a prelude to the Race, Fox News did a segment this afternoon with the founder of Susan G. Komen, Nancy Brinker. Nancy's sister was Susan G. Komen, who died of breast cancer in 1980. Nancy promised her sister before she died that she would spend her life in eradicating the scourge of breast cancer. It's a very touching story. The problem is that Susan G. Komen also supports abortion. Susan G. Komen affiliates have given grants worth several hundred thousand dollars per year to Planned Parenthood clinics. Also, Susan G. Komen refuses to recognize that there may be a link between abortion and breast cancer, listing abortion as one of the things that do not cause breast cancer. Encouraging people to donate to help research to cure breast cancer is one thing - but people deserve to know that their money may be going to support abortion as well.

I've never done so before, but I wrote the following letter to Martha McCallum, the Fox News host who conducted the interview with Nancy Brinker:

Dear Martha,

I watched your segment with Susan G. Komen founder Nancy Brinker with interest. As a woman with great interest in women's issues (I'm currently working toward a Master's degree in Systematic Theological Studies with an emphasis on understanding the Catholic Church's teachings on the feminine) I would love to support this initiative. However, a perusal of various organizations which are supported by Susan G. Komen brings up a very disturbing connection between the organization and Planned Parenthood clinics. Many clinics have receives thousands of dollars in grants from Susan G. Komen. Furthermore, Susan G. Komen refuses to acknowledge at least the possibility that abortion is a contributor to breast cancer. Several studies, including the 2004 study of a leading cancer epidemiologist, Janet Daling, who is pro-choice, show a link between abortion and breast cancer. I am aware that there are studies which also show no link between breast cancer and abortion, but the existence of the studies which do show such a link indicate to me that there should be more research in this area, not less, and more acknowledgments of at least the possibility that abortion could be a factor in breast cancer. This St. Louis Archdiocesan Letter lays out the objections to Susan G. Komen which I have discussed above.

I bring these facts to your attention because I believe that people who may be inclined to donate to Susan G. Komen deserve to know that their money may actually be going to Planned Parenthood clinics. I pray that Susan G. Komen will sever connections with Planned Parenthood and focus strictly on research for curing cancer. If they do so, I will be happy to put my money behind their efforts.