Early this year, the Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found itself the target of criticism for once again choosing The Mar-a-Lago Club — the winter home of President Donald Trump — as the venue for its annual Palm Beach dinner dance.

Much of the criticism came from the cancer center’s own physicians, who cited the president’s stance on immigration and his Muslim travel ban as lacking compassion. Many threatened to boycott the Feb. 18 gala.

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Some did.

But not the man himself.

The president and First Lady made an appearance at the event and stayed long enough to greet the event’s organizers and catch Canada’s former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s rendition of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. The night raised more than $2 million for the institute.

Today, DFCI officials announced that its 2018 event is moving to The Breakers — but they claim it’s not for political reasons. Three other philanthropic groups also will not return to Mar-a-Lago next season; a fourth is moving from The Breakers to Mar-a-Lago.

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"February has a three-day weekend, and we were fiddling with the idea of using that Saturday," said a spokesman for DFCI. "Then we decided to stick with our usual day, but by that time Mar-a-Lago had given away the date to Cleveland Clinic. There wasn’t another Saturday night available so we went to The Breakers."

MorseLife, too, moved its dinner dance, scheduled for Dec. 8, to The Breakers, but a spokesman would not comment on why other than to point out that The Breakers has been the venue in earlier years. Its annual luncheon, which has been at Mar-a-Lago since its inception, will remain there, on Jan. 31.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, too, is moving its gala on Jan. 27 from Mar-a-Lago to The Breakers.

"We’ve got new, younger chairmen and some new committee members," said Kellie Baker, campaign chairwoman, "and they wanted to make a few changes, sort of freshen it up a little. It was their choice."

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Miami-based Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has two events, a Jan. 12 luncheon and its March 27 "Evening of Vision" gala, moving from Mar-a-Lago, the former to Club Colette and the latter to The Breakers.

James Borynack, who with Adolfo Zaralegui is chairman of the dinner dance, attributed the change to "the powers that be in Miami. They ‘suggested’ that The Breakers might be a better choice of venue for 2018."

But the shift in allegiance makes room for one charity stalwart.

The Preservation Foundation is moving its event to Mar-a-Lago, where it first took place more than 30 years ago when the property was still in the hands of the Post trust. It is set for March 8, a Thursday.

"Everything is new this year " said a foundation spokeswoman. "We’ve got two new, younger chairwomen, we’ve got a new day" — the dinner dance traditionally has been held on Friday — "a new venue and a new band. They’re really changing things up."

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