On Friday, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure dropped its plans to eliminate grants to Planned Parenthood. Women nationwide and right here in the Valley claim the organization was getting political and jeopardizing women's health. Women nationwide and in the Valley claim the organization was getting political.
Three days after the announcement, private donations have come pouring into Planned Parenthood.
Action News talked to a Valley women who says she is making a donation because she's angry with the Komen Foundation.
Lisa Flores of Fresno started getting regular mammograms after her aunt passed away from breast cancer.
"With the fight with breast cancer you are saving someone's mother, someone's sister, someone's friend and the simplest way to find it is to encourage a mammogram," Flores said.
Flores says she's upset with Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision earlier this week to cut future funding to Planned Parenthood.
On Friday she made a $100 donation to the Fresno location.
"I was offended that somehow women's health became politicized," she said.
Komen said its original decision was due to concerns over a Congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood, but some believed Komen was worried about the controversy around Planned Parenthood's abortion services.
On Friday, amid the backlash the Komen Foundation reversed its decision and restored future funding.
Sharon Johnson from the Fresno affiliate of the Komen Foundation says California's Komen locations opposed the national headquarters' decision to stop the grants.
"The reason for the reversal is that we do not want political interference in any of our grant making," Johnson said.
Pedro Elias with Planned Parenthood says the organization is thrilled with the change.
He says Komen's reversal is the result of the public outcry.
"It was the community coming together," Elias said.
Planned parenthood says about five thousand women in the Valley rely on the organization every year to receive breast cancer screenings or referrals.
Over the last few days private donations to Planned Parenthood have soared over a million dollars, nationwide.
