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SALT LAKE CITY -- After a proposal to cut funding to Planned Parenthood sparked national outrage in January, the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation is seeing a sharp decline in donors and Race for the Cure participants.
The race will begin at Library Square in less than a month. Each year, Susan G. Komen race organizers look forward to the tens of thousands of runners and walkers. This year, though, they're worried fewer participants could translate into fewer dollars to fund breast cancer education and treatment.
Joni Schoepf is a four-year breast cancer survivor. She started running in the Race for the Cure event shortly after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2007. Now she's a staunch advocate for breast health education and treatment.
"You just want everybody to have the best health care and possibilities out there, and options available, so that this doesn't happen to others," she said.
That's what Utah Komen executives like Debbie Mintowt are trying to do. But this year there's been a political snag over funding.
"We did get caught up in a little media attention earlier on in the year to do with Planned Parenthood, and it really distracted a lot of people from what we actually do," Mintowt said."
She says some of the money to Planned Parenthood funds only breast health education. Other funds help at least 12 other local community organizations that provide breast health support, education and treatment.
Karrie Galloway, with Utah Planned Parenthood, says the organization supports Race for the Cure and the national debate should have no bearing on raising money for women's breast health programs.
"People out there in the community may not realize that their mother, sister, friend may in fact have been a recipient of Komen funding," she said. "They may have had a mammogram funded by Komen or be in a support group."
And now, with a 17-percent drop in participants, and donations down slightly, Mintowt fears the backlash could mean fewer women will receive breast cancer treatment.
"Everybody's lives will be touched by cancer. One in eight women will have breast cancer," Schoepf said. "And you're either going to know someone that's had it, or you're going to be the someone that gets it."
An estimated 1,200 Utah women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Utah ranks in the bottom three for mammography screenings, in some part due to a lack of insurance.
