Pat Halpin-Murphy, President and Founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition will open the Central Pennsylvania Breast Health Awareness Initiative at a press conference Tuesday, February 29, 2000 at 10:00 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. The event will increase awareness about "STAR," a major breast cancer prevention trial that is underway at more than 400 medical facilities in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, including more than 40 in Pennsylvania.

"STAR", the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene is recruiting volunteers at area hospitals. The trial will involve 22,000 women to compare the drugs Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. The study will determine which drug is more effective in reducing the chance of developing breast cancer in high-risk women. "STAR" is a study of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) based in Pittsburgh and is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI.)

Also participating in the press conference are representatives from the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; the Geisinger Medical Center; PinnacleHealth Regional Cancer Institute; the Lancaster General Hospital Regional Center for Cancer Care; Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network; Pinnacle Health Regional Cancer Center; York Health System Cancer Center; and Reading Hospital and Medical Center, all participating STAR sites.

Founded in 1993, The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition is the only statewide grassroots organization dedicated to speaking to and for breast cancer survivors. Our mission is to find a cure for breast cancer and to improve the quality of breast cancer outreach, education, research and advocacy in Pennsylvania.

Women interested in receiving more information on the STAR Trials should contact a participating hospital, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER, or on the web at cancertrials.nci.nih.gov. For a complete listing of facilities near you call the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition at 717-738-9567.