Grammy(R) Nominated Singer/Songwriter Jewel Joins Lifetime Television and Members of Congress to Help Stop 'Drive-Through' Mastectomies

Grammy(R) Nominated Singer/Songwriter Jewel Joins Lifetime Television and Members of Congress to Help Stop 'Drive-Through' Mastectomies

--Lifetimetv.com Petition Urging Congress to Take Action Now Exceeds
Record 12 Million Signatures--

What: As part of Lifetime Television's award-winning "Stop Breast Cancer for Life" public awareness campaign, Lifetime Television and three-time Grammy(R)-nominated singer/songwriter Jewel are delivering more than 12 million petition signatures to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Breast Cancer Protection Act of 2005 (S.910/H.R.1849) and thereby end the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, when women are forced to leave the hospital just hours following their physically and emotionally difficult surgeries and before they are ready to go home. Lifetime and Jewel will join the bill's lead sponsors -- Representative Sue Kelly (R-NY) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), as well as a patient advocate and renowned medical experts, at a Capitol Hill press conference.

Who:

* Jewel, Grammy(R) nominated singer/songwriter
* Representative Sue Kelly (R-NY)
* Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
* Representative Jim Gerlach (R-PA)
* Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL)
* Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President, Lifetime Networks
* Dr. Marisa Weiss, President/Founder, breastcancer.org
* Dr. Kristin Zarfos, Director, St. Francis Comprehensive Breast Health
Center in Connecticut and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
* Alva M. Williams, Breast cancer patient from North Carolina

When: Wednesday, September 20
11:00 AM Press Arrival
11:30 AM Press Conference*
*Jewel available for select one-on-one interviews immediately following
the conference

Where: Outside at Cannon Terrace
Located at Independence and New Jersey Avenues
Rain Location: Small Business Committee Room, 2360 Rayburn House
Office Building.

This legislation allows a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate for at least 48 hours in the hospital or whether she has enough support to get quality care at home. It does not mandate a hospital stay, if both the woman and her doctor feel unnecessary. The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and in the House by Representatives Kelly (R-NY) and DeLauro (D-CT). To date, Lifetime's online petition at www.lifetimetv.com to end "drive-through" mastectomies has been signed more than 12 million times.

Legislation to ban "drive-through" mastectomies is supported by: American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, Families USA, Oncology Nursing Society, Society for Women's Health Research, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization.

ABOUT JEWEL

Jewel is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, poet, actress, painter and, now, activist. Hailed by The Times of London as "the most sparkling female singer- songwriter since Joni Mitchell," Jewel remains a unique and authentic artist, exploring fresh musical avenues for more than a decade that have taken her from folk to rock, pop, country, blues, jazz and classical influences. To date, Jewel has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Jewel's latest album is Goodbye Alice in Wonderland.

BACKGROUND ON LIFETIME'S PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

"Stop Breast Cancer for Life" is now in its 12th year of providing women with the most up-to-date, comprehensive information about a disease that claims the life of one woman in America every thirteen minutes. Throughout October, Lifetime's outreach efforts include original programming, online resources, community outreach and powerful non-profit partnerships. This year, the programming centerpiece features Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs") and Jay Harrington ("Desperate Housewives") starring in the Lifetime Original Movie "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy," based on the true story of Lifetime executive and breast cancer survivor, Geralyn Lucas, who works on the network's award-winning breast cancer awareness campaign, premiering Monday, October 23, at 9PM (ET/PT).

Lifetime joins with many of the foremost non-profit breast cancer advocacy groups in the nation to inform the campaign including The Anastacia Fund, Breast Cancer Action, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, breastcancer.org, Nueva Vida, SHARE, Sisters Network, Inc., Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization and the Young Survival Coalition.

ABOUT LIFETIME

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment, and Lifetime Online are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Contact: Geralyn Lucas (212) 424-7066, lucas@lifetimetv.com - or -

Maggie Gallant (917) 207-0010, maggie@spotlightcomm.com

PRNewswire -- Sept. 14

Source: Lifetime Television

Web site: http://www.lifetimetv.com/

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