Philly Played Role In Komen Decision

The foundation known for its walks to find a cure for breast cancer came under fire all week. It appears its local chapter may have helped restore funding for Planned Parenthood.

Susan G. Komen announced Tuesday it would cut off funding for planned parenthood, because it was under government investigation.

The move cut off hundreds of thousands of dollars for breast cancer screening. The outcry that followed spread across the country and over the Internet.

On Friday, there was a reversal and an apology to the American public.

The nonprofit came under withering criticism, including within its own ranks.

In fact, the Philadelphia affiliate appeared to play an important role in reversing that decision:

Friday morning, the web site for the Komen Foundation replaced page after page of critical comments, with this statement from the organization's CEO.

She apologized to the American public, and said Komen would "continue to fund existing grants, including those of planned parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants."

Komen runs the "Race For The Cure," which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research.

The foundation doles out that money to organizations like Planned Parenthood, which provides early-detection breast cancer screenings.

So when Komen pulled the plug on Planned Parenthood, a fury erupted nationwide.

Critics accuse Komen of bowing to political pressure. Conservative lawmakers and many religious organizations had objected to any money going toward Planned Parenthood, which is an abortion provider.

Komen denied its decision was political.

Nonetheless, the Komen affiliate in Philadelphia pushed back against the national organization.

"We encouraged them to take a look at this situation and find a way to work together with planned parenthood," said Elaine Grobman, Ceo, Komen Philadelphia

When Komen first announced it was pulling funding from planned parenthood social media exploded.

Posts about the news were all over Facebook and Twitter.

The startling decision came after three days of virulent criticism that resounded across the Internet, jeopardizing Komen's iconic image.

"We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives," a Komen statement said.

As first reported by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Komen had adopted criteria excluding Planned Parenthood from future grants for breast-cancer screenings because it was under government investigation, citing a probe launched by a Florida congressman at the urging of anti-abortion groups.

Komen said it would change the criteria "to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political."

"We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants," the statement said.

Many of Komen's affiliates across the country had openly rebelled against the decision to cut the funding, which totaled $680,000 in 2011. One affiliate, in Aspen, Colo., had announced Thursday that it would defy the new rules and continue grants to its local Planned Parenthood partner.

In addition, Komen was inundated with negative comments via emails, on Twitter and on its Facebook page. Many of the messages conveyed a determination to halt gifts to Komen -- organizer of the popular Race for the Cure events --because of the decision.