Does It Matter Who You're Running For?
One of the bigger news stories this week focuses on the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation withdrawing its financial support for breast cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood centers. The Komen Foundation receives millions of dollars annually in proceeds from its wildly popular Race for the Cure series across the country.
There is no doubt that this organization has done more than any other to raise the profile of breast cancer and saved many lives in the process. I know the first Race for the Cure I ran in 1993 in Washington, D.C., brought me to tears as I looked out at all the survivors in pink caps and read the names of lost loved ones pinned to everyone's backs.
I also know of women, usually young and without a lot of resources, who've benefited greatly by the services provided at a Planned Parenthood center. Abortions get the most attention, but Planned Parenthood provides much more - like birth control and breast cancer screenings - to promote women's health.
The issue made me think about the causes I end up supporting by running in races that serve as fundraisers. I know it makes a difference in how much I'm willing to fork over in registration fees. I also know that there needs to be more transparency, especially if the entry price is exceptionally high.
How many of us think first about who the race benefits, rather than how we can benefit from the race?
There is no doubt that this organization has done more than any other to raise the profile of breast cancer and saved many lives in the process. I know the first Race for the Cure I ran in 1993 in Washington, D.C., brought me to tears as I looked out at all the survivors in pink caps and read the names of lost loved ones pinned to everyone's backs.
I also know of women, usually young and without a lot of resources, who've benefited greatly by the services provided at a Planned Parenthood center. Abortions get the most attention, but Planned Parenthood provides much more - like birth control and breast cancer screenings - to promote women's health.
The issue made me think about the causes I end up supporting by running in races that serve as fundraisers. I know it makes a difference in how much I'm willing to fork over in registration fees. I also know that there needs to be more transparency, especially if the entry price is exceptionally high.
How many of us think first about who the race benefits, rather than how we can benefit from the race?
