Poll: Will You Still Support Susan G. Komen?

Update: The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has announced it will for breast cancer screenings, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) said in a press release issued Friday morning.

The big news for many women and survivors of breast cancer in the last 24 hours has been the decision by Susan G. Komen for the Cure to end its relationship with Planned Parenthood.

Representatives of Komen said the reason was because Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress — Komen is applying strict new criteria to such organizations. (Komen founder Nancy Brinker indicated a different reason during an interview yesterday.) Planned Parenthood advocates point out that the investigation is led by a conservative Republican backed by anti-abortion groups.

Planned Parenthood has more than 800 health centers across the nation, including locations in Hazlet, Shrewsbury, Freehold and Perth Amboy, and is the largest provider of abortions in the country. The organization provides affordable reproductive health care for women and men, as well as cancer screenings, including 4 million breast exams in the last 5 years.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the largest foundation dedicated to education and research about causes, treatment, and the search for a cure.

The two organizations had been working in partnership since 2005 to provide breast cancer screenings.

Locally, many have participated in the annual which takes place at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson. Many more women — and men — have benefitted from the organization's fundraisers and increased focus on cancer education and research.

Will Komen's decision to cut ties with Planned Parenthood affect your participation in Komen's fundraisers? Take our poll.