Lifetime Networks to Launch 14th Annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life Multi-Platform Campaign for October

Lifetime Networks to Launch 14th Annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life Multi-Platform Campaign for October

Campaign Showcases October Premiere of Lifetime Original Movie "Living Proof," Starring Harry Connick, Jr., from Producers Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, and Renee Zellweger

Includes Original PSA Campaign, Extensive Online and VOD Content, Community Outreach and Advocacy for Bipartisan Legislation to End "Drive-Through" Mastectomies

NEW YORK, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of the Network's ongoing commitment to inform, support and empower women, Lifetime Networks is launching its extensive, multi-platform 14th annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign for October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080804/NYM123LOGO )

The programming highlight of the 2008 effort is the star-studded Lifetime Original Movie "Living Proof," starring Harry Connick, Jr. Produced by Academy Award(R)-winners Renee Zellweger, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and Sony Pictures Television, "Living Proof" is the moving true story of Dr. Dennis Slamon (portrayed by Connick), the UCLA doctor who helped develop the revolutionary breast cancer drug, Herceptin, and his effort to keep the drug trials afloat and save the lives of thousands of women.

The Lifetime Original Movie also stars Amanda Bynes, Tammy Blanchard, Jennifer Coolidge, Angie Harmon, John Benjamin Hickey, Regina King, Swoosie Kurtz, Paula Cale Lisbe, Amy Madigan, Bernadette Peters and Trudie Styler.

"Living Proof" premieres on Lifetime on Saturday, October 18, at 9PM (ET/PT), and will be streamed in its entirety on Lifetime's site, myLifetime.com, beginning on Sunday, October 19, sponsored by Lee National Denim Day.

The film will be accompanied by an in-depth viewer's guide, printable and downloadable at the "Living Proof" site on myLifetime.com, that will give women and their families critical information about clinical trials, early detection of breast cancer, ways to get involved in community efforts to eradicate breast cancer and resources of leading nonprofit organizations with which Lifetime partners. The network will also make three breast cancer awareness Lifetime Original Movies available on Video on Demand, including the Emmy(R)-nominated "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy."

In addition to the film, Lifetime's Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign will include an original PSA (Public Service Announcement) campaign, featuring survivors sharing their "Living Proofs," someone or something that helped them confront cancer and proved their lives can go on beyond cancer. The PSA campaign features a special vignette from country and television superstar Reba McEntire paying tribute to her "Living Proof," friend and colleague, Regina Stuve, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during her pregnancy and now is thriving as a mom.

Additional "Living Proof" stories of breast cancer survivors will be available on the dedicated Stop Breast Cancer for Life site at myLifetime.com. The site also will include:

-- Tools to raise funds for the cause
-- Extensive content on the making of "Living Proof"
-- Resources from Lifetime's nonprofit partners

-- Sweepstakes to win two tickets to the September 24, 2008 premiere screening of "Living Proof" in New York

-- Petition urging Congress to end the horrific practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, when women are forced to leave the hospital sometimes just hours following surgery

The petition is part of Lifetime's long-standing support of the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act (S.910/H.R.1849). Lifetime has collected more than 22 million signatures on the online petition, which helped build momentum for the first Congressional hearing in May in the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Last January, Lifetime and "Desperate Housewives" star Marcia Cross delivered the signatures to Congress and the network will continue to push for the bill's passage this year.

Dramatically expanding the reach of the breast cancer awareness message, many MSOs, including Bresnan, Bright House, Cable One, Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Insight, Mediacom, Suddenlink and Time Warner from over 150 systems, are participating in Lifetime's 2008 campaign. The systems will air PSAs and distribute hundreds of thousands of information cards and pink ribbons locally.

The 2008 Stop Breast Cancer for Life sponsors are Nationwide Insurance, Payless and Lee National Denim Day. Nationwide Insurance is also the presenting sponsor of Lifetime's

year-long Every Woman Counts campaign, of which Stop Breast Cancer for Life is a part.

Lifetime's campaign is informed and supported by leading breast cancer advocacy groups, including: Breast Cancer Action, Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me), breastcancer.org, National Breast Cancer Coalition, Nueva Vida, SHARE (Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer), Sisters Network, Inc., the Young Survival Coalition and Zeta Tau Alpha.

"Living Proof" is produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron's Storyline Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Renee Zellweger, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan ("Chicago"), and screenwriter Vivienne Radkoff ("Tempted," "The Agency") are the executive producers. Dan Ireland ("Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont," "Whole Wide World," "Passionada") directs from a script written by Radkoff.

Lifetime Networks is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multimedia 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, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including myLifetime.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080804/NYM123LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Lifetime

CONTACT: Geralyn Lucas of Lifetime, +1-212-424-7066,
Lucas@lifetimetv.com

Web Site: http://www.breastcancer.org/
http://www.mylifetime.com/

-------
Profile: intent