Puget Sound Komen officials hope shakeup brings donors back

The head of the Puget Sound chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation calls a shakeup at the top of the national organization an important step on the “path to recovery.”

It’s the latest fallout from the controversy over funding for Planned Parenthood.

Critics blasted the organization’s national leadership for cutting funding for Planned Parenthood over charges it improperly used federal funds for abortion.

Local chapters suffered in the aftermath. Around 5,500 less people participated in the annual Race for the Cure, and the Puget Sound chapter took in $500,000 less in donations as supporters protested the move.

Cheryl Shaw, Executive Director with the Puget Sound Komen chapter, says the leadership change is welcome.

“I think it’s a positive move, it’s a good move, it’s a good direction for change.”

Shaw says the local chapter opposed the original decision to cut funding for Planned Parenthood and warned of its impact on the organization.

“This was a distraction that hurt us locally, in terms of our ability to fund raise, and in turn, hurt local women,” Shaw says.

Despite the drop in fundraising, Shaw says the local chapter was still able to donate over $2 million this year to non-profits and government agencies for breast cancer screenings for low income women. She’s hopeful the shakeup will bring donors back.

“I would hope that they’d look at this as an opportunity to draw closer to Komen Puget Sound and learn about the local work that we do and learn about the relationship that we do have with national (headquarters).”