WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- The Susan G. Komen foundation will not hold its signature three-day walk next year in Washington and six other cities, officials said.
A statement from the organization cited drops in participation and fundraising, as well as competition from other charities as factors, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
"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. "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."
The event will no longer be held in Phoenix, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Fla., or San Francisco after this year, the Post said.
The three-day walk, in which participants walk 20 miles each day, will continue to be held in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, multiple locations in Michigan, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Funding for the Susan G. Komen foundation has dropped steadily since the organization said it planned to deny funds to Planned Parenthood in February 2012, the Post said. Komen reversed its decision to defund Planned Parenthood days later.
The Washington three-day walk last month had about 21,000 participants, down from 27,000 last year and nearly 40,000 in 2011.
