It Appears I’m Not Alone In Not Forgiving Komen
Two top executives at Susan G. Komen for the Cure have announced their resignation, amid reports that the breast cancer charity is struggling to raise money and repair its reputation after its decision to defund Planned Parenthood and subsequent reversal.
Actions have consequences, and what Komen did in regards to Planned Parenthood won’t be forgotten.
Susan G. Komen Greater New York City recently decided to postpone its annual fundraising gala because executives “were not certain about our ability to fundraise in the near term,” spokesperson Vern Calhoun said in a statement.
A Komen insider told HuffPost that “employee morale is in the toilet” since Komen leadership made the controversial decision to defund Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s most prominent women’s health and family planning organizations. The move was led by anti-abortion executive Karen Handel, then Komen’s senior vice president for public policy, who has since resigned.
“Brinker in complete meltdown,” the source wrote to HuffPost. “People want her to resign but she won’t.”
Brinker won’t resign until Komen is gasping for its last breath… which appears to be any time now. This woman, during her interviews trying to defend the indefensible, succeeded in making a bad situation worse.
Cancelling their annual fundraiser tells me, unless something drastic is done, Komen is about to become a distant memory. And it’s not only the of the annual fundraiser – donations are down at a number of Komen affiliates. I’m not surprised. Komen drew on very personal support from women with breast cancer and the families and friends who love/loved them. Betrayals aren’t easily forgiven or forgotten.
Tags: Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen
Women found that they can give to the American Cancer Society and Planned Parenthood directly, without having to fund through the Komen sensibility.
With this huge backlash against Komen, I’m surprised that Texas decided to go to war with Planned Parenthood.
I honestly think Komen is done. No more large marches anywhere means no more donations and no more sponsors.
From NYTimes:
“In the wake of the controversy, for example, the New York affiliate has postponed two spring fund-raising events — a gala awards dinner and an event for teenagers called Tickled Pink! — because the group was “not certain about our ability to fund-raise in the near term,” Vern Calhoun, the affiliate’s communications director, wrote in an e-mail. He said Dr. Richardson-Heron was unavailable for comment.”
If they’re canceling numerous events and getting very poor attendance at others, they really do need a new board. Maybe if they replaced Brinker with Dr. Richardson-Heron they could salvage this thing… but then again, maybe not.
I think Komen is done as well, LE. The cause will live on, but the Komen brand appears to be dead.