Why Did Komen Stop? Planned Parenthood Doesn’t Do Mammograms

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Feb 2, 2012   |   9:48PM   |   Washington, DC

During a conference call with reporters this afternoon, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure CEO Nancy Brinker and President Elizabeth Thompson revealed the main reason why the Planned Parenthood abortion business lost its funding. It doesn’t do mammograms.

“It was nothing they were doing wrong,” Brinker explained. “We have decided not to fund, wherever possible, pass-through grants. We were giving them money, they were sending women out for mammograms. What we would like to have are clinics where we can directly fund mammograms.”

She added, later in the day on Twitter:, saying the money “will be invested in programs to serve low-income, uninsured and underinsured women.”

“Our Board approved new grants standards to improve direct services to women,” she said. “New grants standards strive for grants that provide direct services and outcomes. We have to put metrics, outcomes and measures to our grants so we can translate the science we’ve funded over 30 yrs. We will continue to provide services to vulnerable populations with care, treatment and screening.”

“We’ve decided not to fund pass-through grants. What we would like is to have clinics where we can directly fund mammograms,” she added.

Komen has known since last Spring that Planned Parenthood doesn’t do mammograms. In emails Susan G. Komen for the Cure was sending to people complaining about their grants to the Planned Parenthood abortion business, officials claim the grants are given to help women obtain breast cancer screenings. Yet, Komen also admitted Planned Parenthood doesn’t do mammograms.

A late March expose’ from Live Action revealed no Planned Parenthood centers nationally provide mammograms.

Live Action released videotaped footage of calls to 30 Planned Parenthood centers nationwide in 27 different states where abortion facility staff were asked whether or not mammograms could be performed on site. Every one of the Planned Parenthood centers admitted they could not do mammograms. Every Planned Parenthood, without exception, tells the women calling that they will have to go elsewhere for a mammogram, and many clinics admit that no Planned Parenthood clinics provide this breast cancer screening procedure.

“We don’t provide those services whatsoever,” admits a staffer at Planned Parenthood of Arizona while a staffer at Planned Parenthood’s Comprehensive Health Center clinic in Overland Park, Kansas tells a caller, “We actually don’t have a, um, mammogram machine, at our clinics.”

In its email to people concerned about the Komen-Planned Parenthood connection, a Komen official admits Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide mammograms for women with its grant money. Komen makes it clear the money is merely funneled through the abortion business to legitimate medical centers that actually perform mammograms.

“When a mammogram is indicated, a patient is often referred to a local program, such as the state’s breast and cervical cancer program. In other cases, the Komen Affiliate’s grant to Planned Parenthood may include funds to pay for mammograms outright. When this happens, a local provider performs the mammogram, and is then reimbursed by Planned Parenthood using the Komen grant funds,” Komen admits.

David Schmidt of Live Action responded to the comments in the new letter from Komen.

He wondered why Komen would give grants to Planned Parenthood rather than legitimate medical centers when the abortion business doesn’t actually help women with mammograms. [related]

“Planned Parenthood doesn’t do mammograms themselves. Why then is Komen giving grants to Planned Parenthood to then in turn pay non-Planned Parenthood health centers to provide mammograms? Why not grant funds directly to the centers performing mammograms?” he asked.

That’s the big change Komen is making.

Brinker explained that three Planned Parenthood chapters will receive grants that were already in place prior to the decision — in Denver, San Diego, and Waco, Texas.

Austin Ruse, the president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, who has been very closely following the Komen decision-making process, told LifeNews in exclusive comments that those grants will very likely be the last Komen makes to the abortion business.

“Komen has five outstanding grants going out this year to Planned Parenthood. We have known about them all along. After that, the door is shut,” Ruse said. “Nothing has changed since the decision was made in December to defund Planned Parenthood after these grants are finished.”

“Could these Planned Parenthood groups apply for future grants? Of course they could. Anyone can apply for anything. Will they get them? Highly unlikely for two reasons,” Ruse added. “First, Komen’s new policy says they do not fund groups that are under investigation or groups that do not provide primary care of women or research.”

“Second, Planned Parenthood’s vicious attacks against Susan G. Komen for the Cure has engendered a great deal of hurt and anger inside the organization,” Ruse told LifeNews. “Quite simply, Planned Parenthood is utilizing a scorched earth policy against Komen and burning all their bridges. Funding will never come back to them. Keep in mind also, that Nancy Brinker may be trying to make conciliatory gestures to her former friends. But she is discovering what we have known all along, that Planned Parenthood are dishonest thugs.”

Related stories:

Komen to Stop Grants to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
Komen Decision to Yank Planned Parenthood Funds Not Temporary
Komen Also Stops Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research Centers
Komen Still Doesn’t Acknowledge Abortion-Breast Cancer Link
Planned Parenthood: Komen Stopped $ Because Pro-Lifers Hate Women
New Komen Pro-Life VP Credited for Planned Parenthood Cuts
Top Komen Official Quit Over Planned Parenthood Funding Cut
Komen for the Cure Web Site Hacked by Pro-Abortion Activists
Biden Stops Backing Komen Over Planned Parenthood De-Funding
Komen Affiliate Leaders Quit, Complain About Funding Decision
Komen Donations Jump 100% After Cutting Planned Parenthood