Written by The Link
Items bearing theSusan G. Komen for the Curelogo that had been removed from the Harding University bookstore last week have been put back on the shelves, university officials announced Wednesday.Administrators removed the items after at least one student complained about a connection between the Komen foundation and Planned Parenthood, a pro-choice organization.The Arkansas affiliate of the Komen foundation responded to that concern on its blogWednesday, claiming money raised for the Komen foundation does not go to Planned Parenthood. The Komen foundation explained last year, however, thatsome of its affiliates fund Planned Parenthood-sponsored breast cancer health programs.A university spokesperson released the following statement Wednesday afternoon:Recently, some members of the Harding University community were concerned that the Susan G. Komen Foundation was distributing funds to organizations that support or provide abortion services. Mel Sansom, vice president for finance at Harding University, agreed to remove two items that bore the Komen Foundation logo from Harding’s bookstore while researching this issue.
After further review, Mr. Sansom has learned that neither the National Susan G. Komen Foundation nor the Arkansas affiliate support groups that provide abortions. Therefore, the two items have been put back on the shelves for sale in the bookstore.
While talking with representatives from Harding today, Sherrye McBride, executive director of the Arkansas Affiliate of the Komen Foundation, said, “We have a history of working together with Harding, and we will work together in the future. We [the Komen Foundation] are only about breast health.”
Harding University has a long history of working to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research, including working with the Komen Foundation through events such as Stroll for the Cure, an event sponsored by Harding Alumni Relations.
