Planned Parenthood says a flurry of new donations over the past couple of days has essentially made up the funding gap left by Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to discontinue funding for the organization.
Bloomberg reports that as of Wednesday afternoon, Planned Parenthood had received $400,000 in pledges from 6,000 donors. Planned Parenthood also said that an emergency fund was started with a $250,000 gift from the foundation of Texas oil baron Lee Fikes and his wife, Amy.
That totals $650,000, which is not far from the $680,000 that Komen gave Planned Parenthood last year.
"People respond powerfully when they see politics interfering with women's health," a spokesman for Planned Parenthood told the AFP. "That's why we've seen a tremendous outpouring of support."
As our friends over at Shots told us this morning, Komen said efficiency and not politics led to its decision to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides both breast screenings and abortions. But the decision from the country's leading breast cancer charity, which was announced on Tuesday night, unleashed strong feelings on both sides of the abortion debate.
Update at 4:02 p.m. ET. Bloomberg Will Give $250,000:
It looks like Planned Parenthood will surpass the $680,000 mark with a gift just announced by New York City's billionaire mayor.
According to The New York Times, Michael Bloomberg pledged to match every donation up to $250,000.
"Politics have no place in health care," Bloomberg said in a statement, according to the Times. "Breast cancer screening saves lives and hundreds of thousands of women rely on Planned Parenthood for access to care. We should be helping women access that care, not placing barriers in their way."
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