Texas Legislature Votes to Block Access to Cancer Screenings
For Immediate Release: May 29, 2015
“We will never give up—we are here for our patients” says Planned Parenthood
New York, NY – Today, the Texas legislature passed and sent to the governor a budget that will block Planned Parenthood patients from accessing breast and cervical cancer screenings through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (BCCS). This could have an especially dire impact on those Texas communities where Planned Parenthood is the only provider of those services. Last year alone, Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas combined served more than 3,300 women through the BCCS program. This vote follows years of hostile policies that have left tens of thousands of Texas women without access to cancer screenings, birth control, HIV tests and other preventive care (read more HERE from the Guttmacher Institute).
In the words of Diane Dunn, a Planned Parenthood and BCCS patient from Waco: “Planned Parenthood helped me when I could not get in anywhere else for care — no one else would help me. I’m now cancer-free. I don’t know where I would be without Planned Parenthood.” WATCH this video for more about Diane and the care Planned Parenthood provides through this critical program for Texas women.
Statement from Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
“Once again, the Texas legislature is targeting women’s access to lifesaving cancer screenings, all in the name of politics. Women’s health and women’s lives should not be treated like a game of political football. The Texas legislature’s blatant disregard for women’s health and safety is unconscionable and hurts real women like Diane Dunn, whose breast cancer was caught early thanks to care she received at a Planned Parenthood health center in Waco.
“At Planned Parenthood — we never back down, and we will continue fighting on all fronts to protect women’s access to cancer screenings, birth control, and safe, legal abortion. Last fall, Planned Parenthood cut the ribbon on a new health center in Dallas, and there are plans to open a new health center in San Antonio soon. We will be here for the patients who rely on us — in Texas and across the country, because a woman’s right to access medical care should not depend on where she lives.”
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Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.
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Planned Parenthood Federation of America
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Published
May 29, 2015