The politics of breast cancer fundraising

I know someone who is participating in Race for the Cure to honor a recent breast cancer survivor. She sent out an invitation, urging mutual friends to participate in or donate to the worthy cause.

One woman said she wouldn’t donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure because she’s “pro-life.”

Seems the Komen fund gives small grants to Planned Parenthood and that has the anti-choice community up in arms. Many followers of this movement have since decided to withhold donations until the Komen people come correct.

I am continually amazed at sanctimonious and insensitive assholes who loudly claim to be pro-life and then hypocritically behave otherwise.

SIDE NOTE: I’ve heard similar complaints about Komen from animal-rights activists who are angry they donate to labs testing animals. Such arguments, while valid, are no reason to discount the life-saving efforts of a fund dedicated to ending breast cancer. Whether you are batshit crazy on the right or batshit crazy on the left, no matter, you are still batshit crazy and deserving of my scorn.

The Susan G. Komen fund has issued statements (PDF) time and again, saying they are saving women’s lives. Period.

Komen also said they “provide funds to pay for screening, education, and treatment programs in dozens of communities, in some areas, the only place that poor, uninsured, or under-insured women can receive these services are through programs run by Planned Parenthood.

These facilities serve rural women, poor women, Native American women, women of color…we monitor our grantees twice a year…we are assured that Planned Parenthood uses these funds only for breast health education, screening, and treatment programs.”

Wow. Sounds pro-life to me.

As I’ve indicated before, I have a real problem with people who want only disease-fighting funding to come from, and go to, like-minded individuals. In the not-so-distant past, I’ve been associated with fundraising for causes organized or associated with such people and yet I still participated, because it meant helping women who are fighting breast cancer.

Do I have more fun working with groups where the people are open-minded, tolerant, and fun? Absolutely. (And I’m still looking for more Boobie-Thon ideas, so get those creative juices flowing!)

But I also realize that we are all just trying our best, folks. Each one of us simply wants to find her way through life, with all its tragedies and triumphs, and get through it the best we can.

Women who refuse to help others are frustrating because the inconsistent and judgmental poses they use to justify inaction are harmful to all of us.

If I were sick and faced with a dreaded disease, I would not ask doctors, nurses, and other heroes about their personal beliefs, political or otherwise, before deciding if they should help me.

Who would?

I’d love to ask this so-called pro-lifer:

If your tits were afflicted, would you take advantage of the research funded by the Komen group to save your own life?

Would you seek treatment in hospitals funded by these same groups you now deem unworthy?

Of course you would.

Right now, with her healthy bosom and upturned nose, she stands above real women, involved in real struggles, because she can.

Way to be Christlike, toots.

Meanwhile the rest of us sinners will come together on race day. We will come together online. We will take off our shirts. We will hold hands and walk. Some of us praying, some of us laughing, some of us cursing, and some of us crying.

We will come together for a cure that might benefit this bitch’s granddaughters, nieces or cousins.

We will rally behind our sisters, lovers, and friends to fight a disease that is taking away too many wonderful souls, wicked and righteous alike.

Join us.

Tags: Boobie-Thon, breast cancer, Race for the cure, Susan G Komen