Komen cancels 3-Day walk in District, six other cities in 2014

By Lena H. Sun, Updated: Tuesday, June 4, 8:55 PM

The Susan G. Komen foundation canceled its signature 3-Day walk in Washington and six other cities next year, slashing the number of the fundraising events by half, as participation continues to drop more than a year after a funding controversy involving Planned Parenthood.

Komen called its decision to pull out of the event one that “was not made lightly, as this bold and empowering event has touched the lives of thousands of participants.”

Spokeswoman Andrea Rader cited economic uncertainty and competition from other charities as factors in the decision — the same reasons Komen has cited for the drop in fundraising since founder Nancy Brinker sparked national headlines in February 2012 when she unsuccessfully attempted to deny funds to Planned Parenthood.

“Many participants have reported that enthusiasm for the series remains very high, but it is more difficult for people to donate at levels they had in the past,” the statement said. It said participation in the past four years has made it difficult to sustain the event in 14 cities. “We hope to one day return to a larger number of markets, but believe strongly that this adjustment will allow us to return the greatest amount of dollars to the cause at this time.”

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