-- Breast Cancer Risk Factors Include Age, Family History and Personal History, Among Others -- NEW YORK, July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Jaclyn Smith, a multi-talented actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist and breast cancer survivor, is touring the country with the Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction of Breast Cancer Risk program, sharing her experience as a breast cancer survivor and encouraging women to understand breast cancer risk factors. The program, in its second year, is a partnership between the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH), Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization (Y-ME) and Eli Lilly and Company. "It's important to me as a woman to know about breast cancer risk factors and share that knowledge with other women," said Jaclyn Smith. "When I was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, I had no idea that increasing age is one of the risk factors for breast cancer. I'm involved with the Strength in Knowing program to pass along this knowledge to women across the United States so they understand their personal risk and take appropriate action according to their risk profile." Approximately 200,000 women are newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States each year.(i) Age, family history and personal history are the most important risk factors.(ii) "While the exact causes of breast cancer are still unknown, we do know that increasing age, family history and personal history raise a woman's overall risk," said Susan Wysocki, president and CEO of NPWH. "As a nurse practitioner for more than 30 years, I encourage all women to learn more about their breast cancer risk and follow the recommended screening guidelines." About the Events To help educate women about breast cancer risk factors, the Strength in Knowing program is hosting interesting and informative events for women. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Jaclyn Smith about her battle with breast cancer, as well as Susan Wysocki, president and CEO of NPWH, and Margaret C. Kirk, CEO of Y-ME. Events will be held in the following cities: -- New York -- Seattle -- San Francisco -- Chicago -- Washington, DC Each event will feature an interactive discussion with experts and an opportunity to ask questions related to breast cancer risk factors. At the end of the event, women will be armed with important information about breast cancer risk factors so they can talk to their healthcare professional and share the knowledge about risk factors with other women in their lives. For more information on the events and to learn more, go to http://www.strengthinknowing.com/. "As an organization that works with women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer, Y-ME knows how important it is for women to understand their breast cancer risk," said Margaret C. Kirk, CEO of Y-ME, which has a 24-hour Hotline staffed by trained breast cancer survivors. "Strength in Knowing is a valuable resource, and Y-ME is proud to be a part of this educational initiative for women who want to learn breast cancer risk factors." About Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction of Breast Cancer Risk Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction of Breast Cancer Risk, a partnership between the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH), Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization (Y-ME) and Eli Lilly and Company, is a national education program designed to help women separate the facts from fiction regarding breast cancer risk factors. For more information, log onto http://www.strengthinknowing.com/. About Jaclyn Smith Jaclyn Smith is an actress, businesswoman, designer and healthcare philanthropist. Before playing Kelly Garrett on the original Charlie's Angels television series, Smith was a model and a dancer and who caught the public's eye as the "Breck girl," in a famous 1970s ad program for Breck shampoo. Following "Charlie's Angels," Jaclyn earned a Golden Globe nomination for her critically acclaimed portrayal of the legendary first lady in "Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy." In 1985, Smith launched her own line of clothing for Kmart, which has been a huge success. In addition, her business ventures have expanded through Jaclyn Smith International to include home furnishings, bedding, textiles, wall coverings and home accents. Jaclyn has compiled an impressive filmography of more than 50 films and television appearances and has been called the "Queen of the Mini-Series." In 1989 Smith was honored with a star on the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jaclyn discovered a lump during a routine checkup in 2002 and underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy the following month. Since then, she has worked to increase cancer awareness and raise money for research and support. Smith participated in the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure in Washington, D.C. and has participated in other fundraising events to help benefit the organization. About Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization(TM) (Y-ME) is a Chicago-based national nonprofit organization with the mission to ensure, through information, empowerment and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone. Y-ME has the only 24-hour hotline staffed entirely by trained breast cancer survivors. Additionally, affiliates throughout the nation provide services such as support groups, breast health awareness workshops, wigs and prostheses for women with limited resources, and advocacy on breast cancer related policies in their respective communities. For breast cancer support or information including publications and newsletters, visit http://www.y-me.org/ or call the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Hotline at 1-800-221-2141 (English, with interpreters available in 150 languages) or 1-800-986-9505 (Spanish). About The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health was founded in 1980. NPWH's mission is to assure the provision of quality health care to women of all ages by nurse practitioners. NPWH defines quality healthcare to be inclusive of an individual's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. NPWH is a trusted source of information on nurse practitioner education, practice, and women's health issues. NPWH works with a wide range of individuals and groups within nursing, medicine, the healthcare industry, and the women's health community. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is available at http://www.lilly.com/. O-LLY. (i) Cancer Facts and Figures 2006. American Cancer Society. Accessed at http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2006PWSecured.pdf on April 30, 2007. (ii) US Preventive Services Task Force. The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services 2006. Available at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd.pdf Accessed December 12, 2006. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO DATASOURCE: Eli Lilly and Company CONTACT: Sharon Corbitt, Eli Lilly and Company, +1-317-277-1574

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