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

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

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

- Jewel to Appear in Special Lifetime PSAs Throughout October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month -

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, 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 delivered more than 12 million online petition signatures to Washington to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Breast Cancer Protection Act of 2005 (S.910/H.R.1849). The bill would end the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, where women are sometimes forced to leave the hospital sometimes just hours following their physically and emotionally difficult surgeries even if they and their doctors feel they are not ready to go home. Lifetime and Jewel were joined at a Capitol Hill press conference by the bill's lead sponsors, Representatives Sue Kelly (R-NY) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), as well as co-sponsors Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL).

Also participating were breast cancer survivors, patient advocates and renowned medical experts, including Dr. Kristin Zarfos, who first brought the issue to the attention of Representative DeLauro in 1996; Dr. Marisa Weiss, who founded the online informational website breastcancer.org; and Alva Williams of North Carolina, who signed Lifetime's petition because she experienced a "drive-through" mastectomy in March 2006, had no expert care at home to change her dressings and drainage tubes, developed a staph infection and, as a result, was forced to delay her chemotherapy treatments for six weeks.

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005, which currently has 179 House co-sponsors and 17 Senate co-sponsors, was introduced by Representatives Kelly (R-NY) and DeLauro (D-CT) in the House and Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) in the Senate. The legislation, modeled after a 1996 law that banned "drive-through" baby deliveries, would:

-- Guarantee a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours for a woman having a
mastectomy or lumpectomy, and 24 hours for a woman undergoing a lymph
node removal;
-- Require health plans to include notice of these benefits in their
monthly mailing and yearly information packet sent to plan
participants; and
-- Require plans to provide full coverage of second opinions should the
patient seek one.

The bill does not mandate a 48 hour hospital stay nor does it set 48 hours as a maximum amount of time a woman can stay in the hospital. It simply ensures that any decision in favor of a shorter or longer hospital stay will be made by the patient and her doctor.

In 1997, when Lifetime was first made aware of the problem of "drive-through" mastectomies by Representative DeLauro and by viewers, the Network launched an online petition. To date, the petition at www.lifetimetv.com has been signed more than 12 million times by women and men who have asked the Network to make their voices heard. Every Member of Congress will receive a disc listing the names of the people in each state who signed the petition and who want to know where their Representatives and Senators stand on the issue.

Jewel recently joined Lifetime's campaign to speak out against the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies and is appearing in special television spots that will air on Lifetime throughout October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Jewel PSAs will drive viewers to sign the petition at Lifetimetv.com. Jewel said, "I always strive to use my voice to empower women to have as many choices in their lives as they can. They should absolutely be given the right to recover from their mastectomy in the hospital, if they want to."

"As a survivor of ovarian cancer, I know first-hand how difficult the recovery process is. A mastectomy is not an easy surgery -- it is physically and emotionally traumatic," said Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). "Faced with a crisis, the last thing any woman should be doing at this time is fighting with her insurance company for such basic health care. The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act puts this critical health decision where it should be -- between the patient and her doctor."

"For the 1 in 8 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, the diagnosis in itself is shocking and stressful enough. Unfair insurance restrictions and troubling financial decisions further complicate that fear, stress and confusion," said Representative Sue Kelly (R-NY). "No woman should have to fight breast cancer and red-tape at the same time, and by passing the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, we can ensure that a woman and her doctor are in control of her treatment options."

"I strongly support this bipartisan effort to end insurance company penny- pinching at its worst -- the practice of 'drive through' mastectomies," said Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA). "This bill will help ensure that women who undergo breast cancer surgery are given the treatment they need for a complete recovery."

"For far too long, a breast cancer diagnosis has meant uncertainty and fear for too many women, and traditional health care coverage has failed to do enough to ease that fear or confront this pervasive and life-altering disease," said Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). "The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005 that I have introduced in the Senate creates a set of crucial measures to ensure appropriate treatment and reasonable in-patient care for women who undergo invasive treatment for breast cancer. Confronting breast cancer should be done with comfort, care, and the information necessary to fight fear and uncertainty. As a woman and a member of the United States Senate, I pledge to continue working with my colleagues in Congress to lead the charge and raise our nation's awareness about breast cancer."

"Lifetime is committed to making access to quality health care a reality for all women," added Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Lifetime Entertainment Services. "More than 12 million women and men from across the nation have signed our petition and want Congress to give breast cancer patients the option to go home if they're ready or to stay in the hospital for at least a couple of days if they and their doctors think it necessary. We hope that Congress will act this year."

Legislation to ban "drive-through" mastectomies is supported by American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Association of Women's Health, breastcancer.org, 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.

"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 is the Lifetime Original Movie "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy," starring Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs") and premiering on Monday, October 23, at 9PM (ET/PT). The film is based on the irreverent and touching memoir of Lifetime executive and breast cancer survivor, Geralyn Lucas, who now works on the Network's breast cancer awareness campaign. To inform its campaign and programming, Lifetime joins with many of the foremost non-profit breast cancer advocacy groups in the nation, 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 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.

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.

Source: Lifetime Television

CONTACT: Geralyn Lucas, +1-917-318-1281, or lucas@lifetimetv.com, or
Cherice Walker, +1-212-424-7293, or walkerc@lifetimetv.com, both of Lifetime
Television

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

-------
Profile: intent