Heather is an experienced Nonprofit Manager, Researcher, Trainer, and Blogger. She is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration at Grand Valley State University.
It’s Valentines Day and there are pink decorations, candy, clothing, and cards in stores everywhere! Whenever I see something pink I cannot help but think of the Susan G. Koman Foundation. Many nonprofit bloggers wrote about the Koman Foundation defunding and then refunding of Planned Parenthood (see John Haydon’s blog post highlights) but I cannot help thinking that this entire incident has had a bigger effect and tarnished the color pink and the pink ribbon that symbolizes breast cancer in general. Koman was to breast cancer awareness what Kleenex is to facial tissue or Levi’s is to Jeans.
What will happen in October (breast cancer awareness month) and all the pink products come out — will there be less donations, less support for breast cancer research? My students have asked me in class — will the Koman foundation recover? I think a bigger question to ask is — will the color pink recover? Most importantly, will support for breast cancer research and awareness recover?
