WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Women In Government, a non- profit, bipartisan educational association for elected women in state government, announced today a two-year plan to hold educational summits, the first of their kind, for State Offices of Women’s Health, with a focus on the issue of cardiovascular disease in women -- the number one killer of women in the United States. These programs are being made possible by a $280,000 grant from the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation as part of its Women’s Health Education Program.
The first summit will convene the leadership of all the State Offices of Women’s Health as well as their legislator champions, and will be held March 26-28, 2004. The summits will seek to provide support and resources to the existing Offices, spur the creation of new offices and strengthen their partnership with state legislatures, in order to best mobilize state health resources to improve the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in women.
“We are excited to support the State Offices of Women’s Health,” said Joy Newton, founder and executive director of Women In Government. “Through working with the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, we hope to rally the Offices and state legislatures around cardiovascular disease.”
“More women die from cardiovascular disease than breast cancer, osteoporosis, domestic violence and AIDS combined, yet it receives far less attention,” said Peter R. Dolan, chairman and chief executive officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is pleased to partner with Women In Government to improve the understanding and ability of government policymakers and administrators to respond to the unique cardiovascular health needs of women,” said Dolan, who is also chairman of the board of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.
Women In Government is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, bi-partisan educational association for elected women in state government.
Women In Government
CONTACT: Sarah Bollinger, Director of Public Policy of Women InGovernment, +1-202-468-3403, sbollinger@womeningovernment.org; or SteffanieArchbald of Bristol-Myers Squibb, +1-609-252-6606, steffanie.archbald@bms.com
Web site: http://www.bms.com/
