After Collecting 22 Million Petition Signatures on myLifetime.com, Bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act Gets First Congressional Hearing in 12 Years

After Collecting 22 Million Petition Signatures on myLifetime.com, Bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act Gets First Congressional Hearing in 12 Years

Alva Williams, Who Suffered from a 'Drive-Through' Mastectomy and Signed Lifetime's Petition, Testifies Before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Today

NEW YORK, May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On behalf of women and families across the country, Lifetime Television applauded the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee for holding the first ever hearing on the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act (H.R. 758). Since 1996, Lifetime has collected nearly 22 million signatures on a petition on myLifetime.com urging Congress to pass this bill that would end the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, when women are forced to leave the hospital sometimes just hours following major breast cancer surgery.

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, introduced in the House by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and in the Senate by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA), would allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate from a mastectomy or lumpectomy 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 48-hour hospital stay.

Alva Williams, who signed Lifetime's petition after enduring a "drive-through" mastectomy and suffering a serious infection, is testifying at today's hearing. Two years ago, Williams joined Lifetime and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Jewel in Washington, D.C. to champion the bill. Most recently, "Desperate Housewives" star Marcia Cross lent her voice to the cause at a Capitol Hill press conference in January. Both Cross and Jewel also have appeared in public service announcements on Lifetime to encourage awareness of and action on the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act.

"This is a political election year, but this is not about politics. It is about people. One in eight women will eventually develop breast cancer and, according to the National Cancer Institute, more than 182,000 will be diagnosed with the disease this year. These women, facing very scary, painful and emotional surgery, deserve to have options. They should be able to go home right away if they're ready or spend a short time in the hospital if they and their doctors think that is best," said Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Lifetime Networks.

Wagner continued, "Lifetime's viewers, lawmakers from both parties and prominent nonprofit organizations believe this bill is an important first step to improving access to quality health care for all Americans. We are grateful to the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee for today's hearing and hope they act quickly to enable a vote on the House floor this year."

The legislation has 219 cosponsors in the House and 19 cosponsors in the Senate.

The bill is also supported by a number of prestigious organizations, including BreastCancer.org, Susan G. Komen, CT Breast Cancer Coalition Foundation, American Cancer Society, Families USA, The Oncology Nursing Society and the Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

Lifetime's commitment to ending "drive-through" mastectomies is part of the network's annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life public advocacy campaign, now entering its 14th year.

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, 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.

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FCMN Contact:

Source: Lifetime Networks

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

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

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Profile: International Entertainment