Komen has $500 million in assets, according to their latest financial statement. Of that, they spend $75 million on research, $181 million on public health education, $54 million on health screening services, and $23 million on treatment services.  They spend $50 million on fundraising, and $28 million on administrative costs. These numbers are staggering.

As a board member of MBCC, I appreciate those who are dedicated to cancer detection and treatment, but it is time to put research dollars, education and advocacy into the prevention of breast cancer.

Margo Golden, President of the Board of Directors of MBCC,  is living with metastatic breast cancer.  She said: “I am grateful and thankful to all the dedicated men and women, past and present, in all capacities, who helped to develop treatment options, and hope that I never run out of options.   I also support  the common sense approach of preventing cancer before it starts. True prevention of breast cancer, I believe, is eliminating carcinogens in the environment that cause breast cancer in the first place. I feel strongly that prevention is the cure.”

While Komen is a big player in the breast cancer movement,  it has been under fire lately for some missteps.  One item that was in the news recently is that Komen has been suing small companies that use the term “for the cure,”  for which they have the copyright.  We’re talking bake sales, folks.  If you use the term “for the cure” and Komen finds out, they may sue you. It just doesn’t seem right.  Another thing that Komen did recently is endorse a perfume – “Promise Me” – which was determined to contain cancer-causing ingredients. Breast Cancer Action, a breast cancer advocacy group that is a partner with MBCC, called out Komen on this issue.

And this week, Komen is in the news again, this time for pulling nearly $700 thousand in funding to 19 Planned Parenthood clinics nationally, funding which is used for breast cancer screenings and education, according to the New York Times.  A Komen spokeswoman said the decision is the result of a new policy that bars the charity from giving grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. Recently Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla) launched an inquiry to determine whether Planned Parenthood’s public funding was improperly spent on abortions, making Planned Parenthood ineligible for grants from Komen.

Planned Parenthood is often the only place that low income women can go for healthcare such as GYN exams, breast exams, and related services. So these cuts will naturally hurt low income women, and women of color, the most.  The outrage that has been generated by this issue is amazing. Donations to Planned Parenthood have been pouring in by furious supporters. The blogosphere has been abuzz with discussion on this issue.

The MA chapter of Komen sent out a statement earlier today. It reads:

We have received a lot of messages of concern today regarding our national office’s recent decision to halt funding to Planned Parenthood and wanted to take a moment to update our local supporters. This decision was made by Susan G. Komen for the Cure National Headquarters based on new guidelines that prohibit funding to organizations that are under local, state or federal investigation. We at the Massachusetts Affiliate are not part of these overarching decisions.

At Komen MA, we address barriers to health care and our programs increase access to screening, awareness, education and treatment initiatives through a variety of grantee partners, who are chosen by an independent committee of volunteers from various backgrounds. Currently, Planned Parenthood does not receive funding from the MA Affiliate. None of the current funding from Komen MA for vital services in Massachusetts has been halted. We continue to fund programs in counties that provide the highest level of service to our community.

I am happy to hear that the MA chapter of Komen hasn’t pulled any Planned Parenthood funding, but I wish that they did more for prevention.  At MBCC, my fellow board members, program staff, and I work diligently to educate the public and our legislators about chemicals in our water, soil, air, and consumer products that evidence shows are contributing to the rising rates of all cancers, and breast cancer in particular. It is essential to prioritize primary prevention research – research to find the causes of breast cancer — and action to remove the causes to prevent the disease.  We also need to build alliances rather than politicize the issue, in order to create an environment to ultimately stop this epidemic.

We would like to offer a very special thank you to everyone who made the 14th Annual Lesbians & Friends Dance: A Party for Prevention possible. This event’s success is thanks to the incredible support of our generous sponsors and silent auction donors, each and every attendee of the dance, our dedicated volunteers, and all of our vendors. Thank you. Proceeds from this event go to the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC). This allows the MBCC to continue working toward our goal of breast cancer prevention.

We know that many of you were planning to attend the dance but could not due to the weather. Won’t you please consider still supporting our work toward breast cancer prevention by making a donation HERE?

We hope you will join us for the 15th Annual Lesbians & Friends Dance next year Saturday January 19th, 2013.

According to the report, chemicals like benzene, 1,3-butadiene and ethylene oxide – found in some workplaces, gasoline fumes, car exhaust and tobacco smoke, have possible links to breast cancer. Additionally, the IOM prioritizes the need for further research on chemicals with hormonal activity, including perfluorinated compounds, bisphenol A, and atrazine (a pesticide) and points out that existing chemical safety research leaves out effects on breast cancer. The report also highlights the need to consider a full-range of research methods, including laboratory experimental studies, given that evidence solely derived from human studies not practical.

This report signifies an important shift in perspective within the medical community regarding primary breast cancer prevention, even though advocates have long supported such evidence. Recommendations put forth by the report include: better testing of chemicals for effects on breast cancer risk, “limit or eliminate workplace, consumer, and environmental exposures to chemicals that are plausible contributors to breast cancer risk while considering risks of substitutes,” and avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke exposures – among others.

Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, and many other groups, go further to push for chemical policy reform to ensure that chemicals linked with breast cancer don’t find their way into our products, as well as greater consumer product oversight and product component labeling so that companies are more accountable for the chemicals they use. MBCC supports several policy campaigns that advocate for health protective change towards breast cancer prevention - learn more and get involved!

For a further scientific analysis of the IOM report, visit Silent Spring Institute’s website for their commentary and hear how some of their research was used to inform the report’s findings.

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