Attack on Planned Parenthood Based on Politics

     I first read about this story on washingtonpost.com.  The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, the leading breast cancer advocacy group in the U.S., announced that they will no longer provide grant funds to Planned Parenthood.  The amount that was originally expected to be donated was $680,000.  This would have given the non-profit, affordable health care provider a major blow that could have prevented many women from being able to receive much needed mammograms.  However, in the end, this did not happen.  After the word got out that Planned Parenthood was being attacked based on political beliefs surrounding it's involvement in providing more abortions nationally than any other provider, thousands of individuals made donations totaling over $500,000.  I understand the concerns people have regarding abortions, but this is part of living in a democratic society.  Planned Parenthood does not perform illegal abortions.  Those who choose to have them are entitled to that choice (at least for now).  Until legislation is passed banning abortions in all states, people will continue to choose to have them.  Abortions are not the real issue here.  The real issue is the attempt to strip the ability for thousands of women to be tested for breast cancer away.  The longer breast cancer goes undetected, the chances of survival diminish.
     According to another article I read regarding this issue on investors.com, Planned Parenthood has already had to fight for the federal funding that they have been receiving for years.  The article goes on to say that because of the abortions being performed, many tax payers do not want their tax dollars funding their operations.  In an attempt to shut Planned Parenthood down, Americans United for Life President Charmaine Yoest submitted a report that launched an investigation by the Energy and Commerce Committee, but Planned Parenthood has not violated any policies.  When Yoest heard about Komen's decision to cut funds, she replied by saying "I was always troubled with this whole idea that the nation’s largest abortion provider was enmeshed in the breast cancer fight when they weren’t actually doing mammograms".  However, if you check out plannedparenthood.org, you will see that they do provide breast cancer screenings and mammograms along with many other valuable services other than abortions.
     The main reason I support Planned Parenthood is that they provide quality care while helping those without health insurance or who have minimal income.  Without a health care provider like this, many people would be forced to go without vaccinations, blood tests, physicals, cancer screenings, and many other essential services.  If and when abortions are illegal, then Planned Parenthood will have to stop performing them.  The right way to approach this political issue is through the legal systems of the states, not by sanctioning a non-profit organization that provides life-saving services to the communities we live in.