Anyone who’s followed the Komen and Planned Parenthood-related SLOG posts knows The Stranger hasn’t been a big fan of the organization, at one point calling for readers to picket the Komen Puget Sound Affiliate‘s gala auction on March 3.
So when a link to today’s post “Occupy Seattle to Protest Breast Cancer Fundraiser Tomorrow” appeared in my inbox I was prepared for a revived call for protesters. Instead, I found a counterpoint to the Women of Occupy Seattle’s objective:
Here’s the problem: Protesting the event won’t take money away from the GOP-humping slimeballs at Komen national; what it does is hurt low-income women in the Puget Sound area—the very women these protesters are hoping to support.
Exactly.
Many people don’t realize our state’s Breast Cervical & Colon Health Program (BCCHP) is heavily funded by Komen Puget Sound. The money raised at last year’s auction helped fund $2 million in local grants, including more than $1 million to the BCCHP so they can provide breast cancer screening to more uninsured women in our state. The Affiliate also directly funds screening grants for other organizations like the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency and the YWCA. The Puget Sound Affiliate of Komen isn’t perfect, but they do have a long track record of stretching every penny raised to fund successful breast health programs in our state.
To Ms. Madrid’s point, Komen dropped the ball on communications when news of Planned Parenthood’s grant eligibility broke. I’m glad she finally had the opportunity to get the local affiliate’s perspective. I wonder if the Women of OS tried to do the same?
