Organizers: Komen 3-day walk impacted by Planned Parenthood controversy

ATLANTA — Organizers of this year's Susan B. Komen Three Day Walk for Breast Cancer said it's been hurt by recent controversy involving Susan G. Komen grants to Planned Parenthood.

This weekend's walk comes just weeks after the Atlanta archdiocese urged Catholics to withhold financial support from the organization.

Channel 2's Diana Davis caught up with participants of this year's walk in DeKalb County Friday.

Organizers said 1,550 pair of feet will be walking 60 miles in three days to find a cure for the potentially deadly disease.

Davis talked a family of sisters, their daughters and friends. They told her they walk every year to honor their youngest sister who died after a three-year battle with breast cancer.

"It's important. We all have daughters. Our sister had four daughters. So we do it, I think, for the next generation," Annie Bryan told Davis.

Organizer said 850 fewer walkers registered for the three-day walk compared to last year.

The national spokesperson for the walk acknowledged to Davis that the controversy surrounding national Komen grants to Planned Parenthood, in addition to the Atlanta Catholic archdiocese's recent statement urging Catholics to stop supporting Komen, have hurt fundraising.

"The issue has definitely had an impact on our participating numbers this year. Komen has had a tough year, but you know, our mission has always been and will continue to be to end breast cancer forever," spokeswoman Sheri Phillips said.

Last year's three-day walks across the country raised more than $82 million for breast cancer. The Atlanta three-day walk wraps up Sunday afternoon at Turner Field.

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WSBTV