PHOENIX (CBS5/AP) -
Two longtime partners in women's health in the Valley are parting ways.
The nation's leading breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is halting its financial partnerships with numerous local Planned Parenthood affiliates, including Planned Parenthood in Phoenix.
"It's very disappointing. Yes, we are very disappointed. Women's health is complete health and breast health care is extremely important to planned parenthood," said Annet Ruiter, Vice-President of Development for Planned Parenthood in Phoenix.
The result is a bitter rift, linked to the national abortion debate, between two iconic organizations that have assisted millions of women.
Planned Parenthood says the cutoff, affecting grants for breast exams, results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion groups. Komen says the key reason is that Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress - a probe launched by a conservative Republican who was urged to act by anti-abortion activists.
"They have mostly funded us providing free mammogram's through the mobile mammography service that we would bring to our health centers," said Ruiter.
Ruiter said the Phoenix chapter of Planned Parenthood has received Komen grants dating back to 1997. The last one they received was in 2009 for $18,000 that allowed them to offer 120 women free mammogram's who otherwise could not afford them.
In November, the Phoenix chapter applied for the grant again, but with the decision from Komen's national headquarters, Ruiter has no expectation they will get the money.
A spokeswoman for valley chapter of the Komen foundation said they have always had a great relationship with Phoenix Planned Parenthood. Beyond that she deferred to a statement posted on their Face book page.
In part the post reads:
Regardless of the national policy outcomes, our impact remains unchanged and this year alone, we anticipate granting more than $1.5 million to support nearly 3,000 screening mammogram's, nearly 400 diagnostic procedures, treatment for nearly 150 patients, and educational programs to reach thousands of women throughout our community.
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