Earlier today, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation reversed their decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.
Clearly, the biggest winner in this situation is women without medical insurance. Planned Parenthood provides a broad range of services to women for free, including mammograms and reproductive health screenings. (Yes, they also provide services for men, too.)
Also in the winner’s circle: Social Media.
Cecille Richards, the President of Planned Parenthood, publicly thanked the outpouring of posts on social platforms for supporting their position in this episode.
The net impact? Over $3 MILLION in three days, plus 10,000 new donors to Planned Parenthood – including a $250,000 personal donation from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
It seems that social sentiment flew to Planned Parenthood’s defense this week. But what remains to be seen is the long-term impact this has on Komen’s image.
Is the genie out of the bottle?
I, like many people, considered Komen an apolitical organization, focused on finding a cure to breast cancer. This has exposed them as something completely different.
Through Komen’s leadership, the color pink has become synonymous with breast cancer. Sports teams, cereal boxes, 5K races – pink = breast cancer research.
And it’s been wildly successful from branding and fundraising standpoints.
But what will people say the next time they hear about a Komen event?
Damage on both sides
Even if you supported Komen’s initial decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood, you have been taken on a roller coaster ride this week.
This organization made a clear stance and then reversed it under pressure. That doesn’t sound good.
Lessons Learned
Instead of spending a week focused on helping people, two major health-based organizations have been tangled in a politically-driven funding mess.
In my world, I know many breast cancer survivors and many, many people who have used Planned Parenthood’s services.
My hope is that both organizations can get back to their missions of healthcare. No politics. No red tape. Just helping human beings across the board.
But perhaps the greatest lesson learned is that if you make a mistake, the social sphere will let you know swiftly and soundly.
(Mar…
