(Harrisburg) First Lady of Pennsylvania, Michele M. Ridge, Honorary Chair of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, and PBCC President Pat Halpin-Murphy announce the Keystone Breast Cancer Conference Wednesday, October18, 2000 at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers.

The only statewide breast cancer conference in Pennsylvania, the 2000 Keystone Breast Cancer Conference theme is "Breast Cancer.There Is Something You Can Do." The conference offers 20 workshops on breast cancer advocacy, diagnosis, treatment, research and survival, led by recognized leaders in each field.

Tom Ridge, Governor of Pennsylvania and Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. accept the PBCC's Pink Ribbon Award during the Pink Ribbon Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. The Pink Ribbon Award is presented for outstanding leadership in breast cancer research, education, treatment and advocacy.

The PBCC recognizes Governor Ridge for his efforts to improve the quality of treatment for Pennsylvania women facing mastectomy and reconstruction and for supporting and signing legislation that enabled Pennsylvania taxpayers to donate more than $500,000 to breast and cervical cancer research in the past two years. "I'm proud of Pennsylvania's hard work and I'm honored to receive recognition from the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the chief Pennsylvania advocate in the fight against this tragic disease," said Governor Ridge. "Michele and I are grateful for your dedication to finding a cure now. Together, we can win this fight!"

The PBCC applauds Mrs. Lauder as a champion for breast cancer awareness. Her enthusiastic efforts include raising funds to build and equip the first ever breast and diagnostic center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the creation of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. "Breast cancer awareness is an important issue to me, to the Estée Lauder Companies, and to all women," said Mrs. Lauder. "I am deeply moved to be the recipient of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition's Pink Ribbon Award. I applaud their statewide advocacy efforts and am proud to be part of their breast cancer awareness crusade."

First Lady Michele Ridge is the keynote speaker for the Pink Ribbon Luncheon. "As Honorary Chair of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition I am proud to have watched the PBCC's grassroots efforts grow into programs that positively contribute to the lives of thousands of women and families across the state," said Mrs. Ridge. "Thanks to the efforts of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition we are closer to finding a cure for breast cancer."

Pat Halpin-Murphy, President and Founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition comments on the theme of the 2000 Keystone Breast Cancer Conference. "The goal of this year's conference is to give breast cancer survivors a voice," said Ms. Halpin-Murphy. "Survivors are our inspiration and make us aware of the need to continue the fight for better diagnosis, research and treatment options. On their behalf the PBCC will +develop new educational outreach and give breast cancer survivors a voice in the medical, legislative, insurance and corporate communities across our state."

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition's Shining Light Award, presented by Katherine Schweiker, wife of the Lieutenant Governor, is awarded to Joan B. Goldberg, Vice President of Allegheny General Hospital and CEO of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP). The Shining Light Award reflects outstanding grassroots leadership in the field of breast cancer. Goldberg's initiatives include establishing an on-site mammography center in Lazarus Department Store in Pittsburgh and providing education to women on the availability of breast cancer research studies through the NSABP.

Barbara Weber, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Director of the Breast Cancer Program at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center receives the Vivian and Meyer P. Potamkin Foundation Award for Breast Cancer Research. The $5000 award is presented each year to an individual who is performing outstanding work in the field of breast cancer research. Dr. Weber pioneered research for the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes most closely associated with breast cancer.

"Grand Rounds for Physicians," led by Dr. Barbara Weber and Dr. Norman Wolmark, Chairman of the NSABP highlights the 2000 Keystone Breast Cancer Conference workshops. New workshops include Advanced Treatments, Fear of Recurrence, Cancer Clusters, Spousal Support: A Husband's Perspective, Integrated Medicine and Grassroots Advocacy. Other workshops will cover Humor and Healing, Reconstruction, Genetics, Minority Outreach, Sentinel Node Biopsy, the STAR Trials, Estrogen, Osteoporosis and Sexuality. The conference wraps up with the Pink Ribbon Reception, saluting participants in the current STAR (the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene) breast cancer prevention trial.

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition founded in 1993, a non-profit organization, serves each of the state's 67 counties through a network of County Captains, Regional Vice Presidents and a statewide Board of Directors. The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition's mission is to improve the quality of breast cancer education, research and outreach in the state, and to find a cure for breast cancer now.so our daughters won't have to.

For more information on the Keystone Breast Cancer Conference or the PBCC, call 717-738-9567, visit the website, www.pabreastcancer.org or email your questions to kim@pabreastcancer.org.