The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, formerly known as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is a well-known American breast cancer charity.
The mission of Komen is to help breast cancer sufferers navigate the American healthcare system and advocate for their rights. Breast cancer research has also received funding from the foundation.
The organisation, on the other hand, has been dogged by controversies over pinkwashing, research money allocation, and CEO compensation. Because of this, both its revenue and public image have dipped dramatically since 2010.
Controversy
On Friday, Komen reversed its decision to ban most of its payments to Planned Parenthood, which had sparked a national debate. According to Komen, the reason for cutting off the group was that Planned Parenthood is being investigated by Congress for allegedly using federal funding to perform abortions.
Komen’s problems are far from ended, despite the about-face. Professor of public relations Dawn Gilpin of Arizona State University says the process of repairing the harm to the university’s reputation is daunting. As Gilpin observes, “Coming back from something like this is incredibly difficult.” Things like this aren’t part of good public relations, anyway.
Asked by NPR, Gilpin discussed Komen’s options for repairing damage to its reputation. Co-author of Crisis Management in a Complex World, she is also a professor at ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
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Is there anything specific you’d suggest the Komen foundation’s leaders do if you were their advisor?
For now, the prohibition against funding projects undergoing investigation will only apply to criminal investigations, as they’ve already said they’re revising their regulations. To be fair, they should be less concerned with the legalese and more concerned with the substance.
For every time an organisation goes political, this will be a sidebar. It will be used in the classroom to say things like, “Don’t do this.” Dawn Gilpin, an expert in PR crisis management
Putting more focus on the significance of screening and treatment for breast cancer for women from all walks of life and all socioeconomic backgrounds would be a better strategy for the organisation. Their key talking point should be that this is the centre of their purpose, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Events
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is the organization’s signature fundraiser and the largest fundraising event for breast cancer research in the world. Runs and walks for breast cancer awareness are the focus of this event.
There were 800 participants in the first race, which took place in Dallas, Texas in 1983. More than one and a half million participants had taken part in the race by 2016.
It is the racers’ donations that provide the majority of the race’s funding. Breast cancer screening and treatment projects, community outreach programmes, education about breast health, and other Komen affiliate-run initiatives received three-quarters of the event proceeds in 2011, with the remaining quarter going to the national organisation.
Another one of Komen’s nationwide activities is:
An event-goer during a Komen Race for the Cure Susan Komen for the Cure Women and men walk 60 miles (97 kilometres) in three days to raise money for breast cancer research, as well as support programmes for patients and their loved ones.
Fitness enthusiasts can participate in a full (42.2 km or 26.2 mi) or half (21.1 km or 13.1 mi) marathon as a way to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s fight against breast cancer. Susan Komen for the Cure A year-round fundraising and education campaign, Passionately Pink for the Cure allows participants to choose any date, invite friends, wear pink, have fun, and raise money for the cause.
With the support of USBC and The Bowling Foundation since 2000, Susan G. Komen Bowl for the Cure has raised millions of dollars and increased public awareness about breast cancer.
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