It’s Breast Cancer awareness month. Who hasn’t watched a NFL Game and noticed the pink shoes and gloves worn by these hulking men. Men and women across the country are working to focus attention on this disease unique to women. Most families have lost a mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, daughter, or niece to this devastating disease. Every year in the United States alone approximately 40,000 women die from breast cancer. Given the tragedy this disease can inflict on any woman and her family, how could anyone criticize a woman who is a breast-cancer survivor? Let me show you.

Exactly seven days before the election of the President of the United States, Ann Romney has written a story about her struggles with breast cancer. It was featured in Glamour Magazine.  The suggestion is that Mrs. Romney wrote the article because it is breast cancer awareness month. However the strange thing is that the focus of the article was about what a great husband she has and why he should be elected President. The concluding three paragraphs of her article focus on Mitt.

She said:

“I believe this speaks volumes about his character—and about why he’s running for president. For him, it’s about giving back to his country in order to make things better for people, for our fellow citizens. He wants to ensure that all Americans have access to the quality health care they need. And he also wants to ensure that women have the economic opportunities they deserve.

Because the fact of the matter is that women across the country are struggling. Some are facing medical battles. Others are struggling to find work in this tough economy. Others are slipping into poverty, trying to keep food on the table for their kids. For women, these trials often come at inconvenient times or all at once.

I’m moved by their stories of selflessness and compassion. They reinvigorate my commitment to raising awareness about breast cancer and the host of struggles too many women are facing in America today.  I’m both grateful and humbled to have the opportunity to participate in this effort.”

If you consider only what Ann said, how could anyone complain about her efforts to help women across America deal with the potentially fatal disease? The reason is clear! Ann Romney has used her challenge with Breast Cancer to pretend that her husband would be sensitive to women’s health issues if elected. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here are the facts:

1. Mitt Romney has declared that if elected that he would take immediate action to de-fund Planned Parenthood. He said:

“I’ve said time and again that I’m a pro-life candidate and I’ll be a pro-life president,” Romney said in an interview with The Washington Post. “The actions I’ll take immediately is to remove funding for Planned Parenthood. It will not be part of my budget.”

Planned Parenthood provides nearly 750,000 breast exams each year to women who could not otherwise afford these services.

Planned Parenthood also refers women for mammograms and helps them find grants to pay for the service. Planned Parenthood also hosts visits from mobile mammography.

2. Mitt Romney has taken the position that he would work to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) from the first day in office. He said:

“On his first day in office, Mitt Romney will issue an executive order that paves the way for the federal government to issue Obamacare waivers to all fifty states.”

Romney’s own plan for health care doesn’t provide care if the patient has a pre-existing condition. 

Ann Romney survived breast cancer due to it’s early detection. Money and health insurance were never an issue for her. That wasn’t the case for Colleen Loudonville of New York who said:

“”I almost ignored the lump. How serious could it have been? I was 27 and had no family history of any kind of cancer. Then I remembered Planned Parenthood …. Since I had no income at all, and dwindling savings, this was a great option for me. I didn’t have to decide between breast care and rent. … There is no doubt in my mind that Planned Parenthood saved my life.” – Colleen L., Loudonville, NY

Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses teach patients about breast care, connect patients to resources to help them get vital biopsies, ultrasounds, and mammograms, and follow up to make sure patients are cared for with the attention they need and deserve.

It is offensive and shameful that Ann Romney would use breast cancer as a tool to gain sympathy. Mitt Romney may have been a great husband to her, but he would be a lethal President for many less fortunate women.