DALLAS (AP) — Many supporters of the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity have abandoned the group’s events after it decided to stop making grants to Planned Parenthood and then reversed that decision.
In the months since the controversy, organizers of individual Race for the Cure events have seen participation decline by as much as 30 percent. Most also saw their fundraising numbers go down, although a couple of races brought in more money.
Race organizers acknowledge the effect of the Planned Parenthood decision, which angered people on both sides of the abortion debate.
Only nine races have been held since the debacle, but a downward trend has already emerged.
The 5K runs and walks account for most of the fundraising for the nation’s largest breast-cancer charity.
