Sometimes, no one wins.............

Komen cancer charity cuts ties with Planned Parenthood

The nation’s leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen
for the Cure, is halting its partnerships with Planned Parenthood
affiliates — creating a bitter rift, linked to the abortion debate,
between two iconic organizations that have assisted millions of women.

The change will mean a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, mainly for breast exams.

Planned Parenthood says the move results from Komen bowing to
pressure from anti-abortion activists. Komen says the key reason is that
Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress — a probe
launched by a conservative Republican who was urged to act by
anti-abortion groups.

The rupture, which has not been publicly announced as it unfolded, is
wrenching for some of those who’ve learned about it and admire both
organizations.

“We’re kind of reeling,” said Patrick Hurd, who is CEO of Planned
Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia — recipient of a 2010 grant from
Komen — and whose wife, Betsi, is a veteran of several Komen fundraising
races and is currently battling breast cancer.