Politicians aren’t the only ones who can flip-flop. In January, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the nation’s leading breast-cancer organization, announced that it would stop funding Planned Parenthood for its breast-health services, cutting about $680,000 in grants to the nonprofit. As the news spread over social networks, women across the country became outraged that Komen might have responded to pressure from anti-abortion groups. As the vitriol toward Komen reached a fever pitch, Nancy Brinker, the organization’s founder and CEO (she announced her intention to leave her post in August, along with president Liz Thompson, but will remain at Komen until a new leader is chosen), apologized and announced that it would continue to fund grants for Planned Parenthood. The reversal was seen as a victory in the fight for access to women’s health care, but Planned Parenthood emerged as the biggest winner, having raised more than $3 million from donors in just three days. “With the outpouring of support over the past week, even more women in need will receive lifesaving breast-cancer care,” Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said after Komen backed down. The Komen foundation, meanwhile, suffered dearly for the controversy, with participation and fundraising for its Race for the Cure events down across the country, including a 25% decline for its biggest race in New York City.
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2. Susan G. Komen Defunds Planned Parenthood
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