My Mother Died From Breast Cancer, But I Won’t Support Komen

Opinion   |   Suzanne Ward   |   Oct 25, 2011   |   4:18PM   |   Washington, DC

In May 1990,  my mother lost her 7 year battle with breast cancer at the age of 57.  It was an unspeakable loss for me.

My father and I cared for her together at home until the end.  For many years following, I generously supported Susan G. Komen and Race for the Cure.  Each year, my family would walk in memory of my mother and to honor others who still struggled.

A few years later, my eyes were opened to the irony of the Komen/Planned Parenthood Connection and I withdrew my support.

First, I understood that Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the world.  Second, I realized that abortion had been linked to breast cancer for years and the research continued to become more clear. And third, I learned that Susan G. Komen contributed over $3 million dollars to Planned Parenthood between 2003 and 2008.

Even today, I remain dumbstruck at the continued relationship between Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood. For 25 years now, October has been a time to help raise awareness of the impact of breast cancer.  This October, let’s help spread the word about a leading cause of breast cancer – abortion.

Komen and Planned Parenthood continue to deny the abortion-breast cancer link, despite numerous studies that clearly show the following:

  • The breast is the only organ not fully developed at birth
  • The breast is NEVER mature until after 32 weeks of pregnancy
  • Interruption of a pregnancy before 32 weeks leaves cancer prone lobules exposed to the DNA damaging effects of estrogen, a hormone that causes breast cell proliferation
  • 50 out of 50 studies show that even ONE abortion places women at high risk of having pre-mature births

According to the most recent data available from the Guttmacher Institute (the research arm of Planned Parenthood), Planned Parenthood did over 25 percent of all abortions in the United States in 2008, a total of 324,008 abortions. In that same year, they performed zero mammograms. In spite of these facts and the urging of Eve Silver , a member of Komen’s Latino Advisory Committee, Komen continues to fund Planned Parenthood.  In 2010 alone, Komen donated $569,000.

For more information:

Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood       Komen’s Dark Side 

To support prolife research and education:

Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer       Breast Cancer Prevention Institute

LifeNews.com Note:  Suzanne Ward serves as the Education/Public Relations Director for Georgia Right to Life.  As a medical ultra-sonographer for over 30 years, she has witnessed the widespread devastation that both abortion and breast cancer cause.