RELEASE ON RECEIPT









                                            CONTACT:  Ann C. Nickels
                                                      Peggy Brown Paviour
                                                      Marguerite Beck

                      MRS. ALLEN, AREA HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
                      INAUGURATE WOMEN'S HEALTH PROGRAM

       CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA., Jan. 16 -- Susan Allen, First Lady of Virginia, 
and area healthcare providers launched today a low-cost health screening and 
early detection program for women, which is the first of its kind statewide.
          Called WomenUs Health Passport, the program provides a clinical 
breast exam, mammogram and Pap test for women living in Planning District 10 
who qualify based on income.  State statistics have shown that almost a third 
of breast cancers detected in PD 10 are in advanced, less treatable stages.  
The Passport program aims to provide regular screening for lower-income women 
for whom costs can be a barrier to receiving recommended, routine care.
           "The physicians, hospitals, health departments and related 
healthcare agencies of this area have created a model for productive 
cooperation," said Mrs. Allen.  "They have identified a health need and have 
joined together in a way that can really make a difference in the lives of 
many women and their families."
           The Women's Health Passport program is a cooperative project of 
the Charlottesville Free Clinic, Martha Jefferson Hospital, the Nelson County 
Rural Health Outreach Program, Thomas Jefferson Health District and the 
University of Virginia Medical Center.
           For a cost of $10 per year, Passport holders receive medical 
services equal to about $150.  The collected fees will be applied toward 
community health education.  The participating providers are absorbing the 
cost of the exams.  In addition, 20 local physicians specializing in surgery, 
radiology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, anesthesiology and 
gynecology have agreed to waive their professional fees for women screened 
under the Passport program who require follow-up testing and/or treatment.
          Planning District 10 is made up of Charlottesville and the counties 
of Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson.  Passports can be 
obtained at health departments in each of these counties as well as through 
the Charlottesville Free Clinic and Nelson County Rural Health Outreach 
Program.  The Passport examinations are available at nine sites in Central 
Virginia.
         In addition to meeting income criteria, women eligible for the 
Passport must be 40 years old or older, live in PD 10 and not be on Medicare 
or Medicaid.  Women with a history of breast and cervical cancer are also not 
eligible for the program because they require more extensive examination 
than is provided in a routine check-up.
        The program was initiated by the Health Care Professional Advisory 
Board to the Every Woman's Life project, affiliated with the Thomas Jefferson 
Health District.  The advisory board was established in September 1994 and is 
composed of physicians, other healthcare providers and area healthcare 
executives.  Board members advise the Health Department on issues related to 
screening access, professional development, surveillance and quality 
assurance as they relate to breast and cervical cancer.
        In 1991, breast cancers detected in PD 10 exceeded the statewide rate 
per 100,000, and 30 percent of these diagnosed breast cancers were in the 
later, less treatable stages of the disease.
         "Until we know more about totally preventing these cancers, we want 
to ensure that they are detected at the earliest, most treatable stages," said 
Susan L McLeod, MD, MPH, Public Health Director of the Thomas Jefferson 
Health District.
         The American Cancer Society (ACS) and National Cancer Institute 
(NCI) recommend that women over the age of 40 receive a clinical breast exam 
annually.
          A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray of the breast that can detect 
changes in breast tissue before they can be felt in a physician examination.  
ACS guidelines for mammograms recommend that a baseline mammogram be done 
for women 35-39; every one to two year for women 40-49; and annually for 
women 50 years old and older.  The NCI recommends that beginning at age 50, 
mammograms be performed every one to two years, depending on the advice of 
the individualUs physician.
         A Pap test is used to detect changes in the cells of the cervix 
(the neck of the uterus) that could signal development of cervical cancer.  
Both the ACS and NCI recommend that Pap tests be performed annually starting 
at the age of 18 or younger if the woman is sexually active.
        In addition to these clinical examinations, women should practice 
monthly breast self-examination beginning at age 20 and report any abnormal 
changes immediately to their healthcare provider.
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                                                January 16, 1996