Blatherskite

Foolish gibberish

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I am a Children’s Librarian living in the Portland, Oregon area. When I am not Children’s Librianing I like to play with cameras and film. I also like playing the ukulele, knitting, sketching, and hiking.

On Planned Parenthood

Supporters of Planned Parenthood
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The Susan J. Komen foundation pulled its Planned Parenthood funding earlier this week (as I’m sure everyone reading this knows by now) and I am upset. Unfortunately, the controversy has turned to the fact that Planned Parenthood provides abortions to patients and away from the fact that they also provide breast exams to patients. Patients who wouldn’t be able to afford to go to the doctor otherwise. I was one of these women.

I have talked about this before but it deserves mentioning again. When I was  in my twenties there was a time when I didn’t have access to affordable health insurance. I was on my own and could no longer use my parent’s insurance and I didn’t have the kind of job that provided insurance. I depended on Planned Parenthood for my healthcare. I went to them for my annual exam. Guess what was included in my annual exam? A breast exam. Because of Planned Parenthood I was  checked out by a doctor every year.

Planned Parenthood is about providing reproductive healthcare to women who can’t afford health insurance. This includes lots of services, abortion being one of them. Frankly, I am very grateful for this service. Some people are not. If you are not, fine. That’s YOUR opinion. But the issue here IS NOT abortion. According to this graphic,  3% of services that PP provides are abortions.  Cancer screening makes up 16% of its services. How ironic that an organization who says one of its goals is to:

“Invest in education and community health local programs to ensure quality care for all and to help underserved women overcome the social, economic, cultural and language barriers to quality breast care and treatment.”

pulls its funding from the one organization that can help them fulfill this very goal. Ironic and sad.

Here are some other organizations to consider if  you want to donate money to breast cancer research and treatment:

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5 responses to “On Planned Parenthood”

  1. Scott Gross Avatar
    Scott Gross

    Thank you for this excellent article. I had only heard there was something going on between the SGK Foundation and someone else. Because of your article, now I know. I think it’s reprehensible that an organization which is dedicated to helping women with breast cancer, would pull funding to another organization that is also dedicated to helping women. As you said, PP also helps women with abortions. But isn’t that part of helping women in need? PP needs all the funding it can get. I don’t see PP Race For the Cure in every city across the country! The SGK Foundation has gotten huge! And because of that, they’re now exercising their political clout at the expense of the very women they are supposed to be helping!!! It’s disgusting and outrageous.

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    1. Moni Avatar
      Moni

      Thank you for your comment! You totally hit the nail on the head. I agree, helping women with abortions IS helping women in need. Totally and completely. And I agree, they are using the power they have gained for political purposes and it’s sickening. Cancer has no place in politics. We are talking about people’s lives! It IS disgusting.

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      1. Silver Image Studios Avatar
        Silver Image Studios

        Ha! Public sentiment still has some power!!!

        http://news.yahoo.com/susan-g-komen-apologizes-cutting-off-planned-parenthood-163217680–abc-news.html

        I almost said in my original comment that I bet the SKG Foundation was being taken over by conservative republicans and I think i’m right. Just prior to their new policy, they hired Karen Handel, an anti-Planned Parenthood replubican. Of course, SKGF denies any policy reversal based on her employment there. I find that extremely hard to believe. Well, i’m happy to see the policy reversed and am also heartnened to hear they lost several board members because of this fiasco! That means there’s still hope for that organization.

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  2. Moni Avatar
    Moni

    yeah! Power to the people! 🙂

    I had heard the same thing, about the SKG foundation being taken over by conservative republicans. Ugh. It’s sickening.

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  3. Now we fight – Blatherskite Avatar
    Now we fight – Blatherskite

    […] already set up a monthly donation to Planned Parenthood because that is just a no-brainer. They provided me with health services when I was in my twenties when I didn’t have health insurance so I owe that organization a […]

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