Susan G. Komen Takes A Huge Hit

By Gary Snyder

Breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure said it was canceling fundraising walks next year in seven cities where money goals have not been met.

The organization, which says it is the largest non-government funder of breast cancer research, said it was cutting three-day walks for 2014 in Phoenix, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Washington. A Komen spokeswoman said in an email that participation in the three-day walks declined by 37 percent in the past four years, without specifying whether that was the number of participants or dollars raised. The group decided to remove the cities from next year's schedule that have not been meeting fundraising goals, the spokeswoman said.

Many across the nation asked the group's founder, Nancy Brinker, to step down as CEO. She did not and continues to hold a both a management and leadership role. It is unclear as to what her current position is, but in her latest role she receive a huge increase in her salary, upwards of 64% bringing her salary to $684,717 for fiscal year 2012. Her raise was upped even in the face of declining contributions, decreasing grants and increased fundraising expenses. 

After a huge outcry an agency spokesperson suggested that Brinker would not take the pay increase despite having submitted the information in its IRS filings many months prior.

Brinker founded the organization in 1982, two years after her sister, Susan G. Komen, died of breast cancer.

Last year, Komen was cast in a harsh light after revelations that it spent only 15 percent of its donations on research and nixed funding for breast-cancer screenings and services for Planned Parenthood. (source)

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