Be aware of where your donations go

Donors have given cancer groups billions of dollars to fight breast cancer during the last quarter of a century. Nevertheless, cancer authorities expect more women to be diagnosed with breast cancer - 254,650 cases in 2009. With over a quarter million cases, isn't it time to reconsider our approach?

In a June 2009 news release, we charged that the group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, perpetuates the breast cancer epidemic by withholding the truth that abortion increases breast cancer risk. We issued three challenges to Komen.

First, we challenged the group to debate us on the abortion-breast cancer link. Because science is on our side, we expect Komen to duck the challenge, as have four other organizations.

Second, Komen relies on studies that have been shown in medical journals to be seriously flawed. We challenged Komen to follow standard scientific procedure by sending letters to those journals proving their conclusions were incorrect.

Third, we challenged Komen to stop giving funds to Planned Parenthood, which has gravely harmed women's health through sales of abortions and hormonal contraceptives containing estrogen and progestin (which the World Health Organization labeled carcinogenic in 2005).

Joel Brind, professor of endocrinology at Baruch College, City University of New York, argues that donations to Komen may do more harm than good. Medical texts reveal that childbearing provides considerable protection against breast cancer. Planned Parenthood, however, deprives women of that protection.

He wrote: "Since Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the U.S., and since it is clear that abortion leaves a girl or woman with a higher long-term risk of breast cancer than had she chosen not to have the abortion, it is arguable that donations to Komen may actually serve to cause more breast cancer, rather than to fight against it."

Karen Malec

Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer

Hoffman Estates