Denise Robison, Northwest Vice President of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC), announced a news conference to support the PBCC's Income Tax Check-off program for Breast Cancer Research.

The event will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2001, at 10 A.M. in the Classroom at St. Vincent Women's Diagnostic Center, 311 West 24th Street, Erie.

The event is open to the public.

In 1997, through legislation initiated by the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, Governor Tom Ridge established an income tax check-off provision allowing Pennsylvanians to donate all or part of their state tax refund to breast and cervical cancer research.

To date the PBCC's Income Tax Check Off Initiative raised nearly One Million Dollars for research to find a cure.

PBCC President and Founder Pat Halpin-Murphy states, one hundred percent of the money raised is presented as grants to researchers across the state.

Last year First Lady Michele Ridge, Honorary Chair of the PBCC, and Halpin-Murphy presented grants averaging $25,000 to six researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center, Penn State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Pittsburgh.

Halpin-Murphy chairs the Department of Health's committee which awards the research grants. "The Income Tax Check-off gives every Pennsylvania taxpayer the opportunity to help find a cure for breast cancer now," said Halpin-Murphy, "so our daughters won't have to. We are pleased to join forces with St. Vincent Health System and the residents of Erie to promote this program."

Speakers will include Sister Catherine Manning, CEO/President of St. Vincent Health System; Denise Robison, who also serves as Deputy Secretary of Aging; Corrine Halperin, PBCC Erie County Captain ; and Marion Gallivan, a breast cancer survivor, who represents Erie County in the PBCC's traveling photo exhibit "67 Women-67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania."

The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition serves as the only statewide grassroots organization that speaks to and for breast cancer survivors. The PBCC represents patients, survivors, families, advocates, medical professionals, government, labor and business leaders who are dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer.