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Actress Sally Field Shares Personal
Story About Living with Osteoporosis at
Capitol Hill Briefing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March
17, 2007)— The
Society for Women’s Health Research and
the National Osteoporosis Foundation
held a briefing on Capitol Hill today to
inform lawmakers about recent advances
in the prevention and treatment of
osteoporosis. Actress Sally Field, an
osteoporosis patient and advocate, spoke
at the briefing and encouraged women
to protect
themselves against fractures so they can
remain active and reduce their risk of a
debilitating injury.
“Eighty percent of the 10
million Americans affected by
osteoporosis are women,” said Phyllis
Greenberger, MSW, president and CEO, of
the Society for Women’s Health Research,
a Washington, D.C., based non-profit
organization whose mission is to improve
the health of all women through
research, education and advocacy. “That
is why we are working to raise awareness
of this issue during National Women’s
Health Week. Although the disease most
often strikes the elderly, there are
steps you can take early in life to
protect and improve your bone health.
We hope that Congress will join us in
supporting increased education and
funding for care in this important
area.”
Ethel Siris, M.D.,
president of the National Osteoporosis
Foundation, the nation’s leading
non-profit organization dedicated solely
to osteoporosis and bone health, spoke
about protecting and strengthening bones
at all ages.
“During Osteoporosis
Awareness and Prevention Month in May,
the National Osteoporosis Foundation
reminds us that osteoporosis is both
beatable and treatable, yet it remains a
major public health issue for more than
half of all women and a quarter of all
men over 50 in the U.S.,” said Siris,
who is also professor of clinical
medicine with the College of Physicians
and Surgeons at Columbia University and
director of the Toni Stabile
Osteoporosis Center at the Columbia
University Medical Center, New
York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York,
N.Y. “Moreover, since peak bone mass
typically occurs between the ages of 18
and 25, it is important for individuals
to build strong bones through physical
activity, exercise and good nutrition,
including adequate calcium and vitamin
D. As a nation and as individuals, we
must work to reduce the burden of
fractures in our country and to prevent
this disease in future generations.”
“Osteoporosis was the
farthest thing from my mind, because
I’ve always tried to eat right, exercise
and be active,” said Field. “I’m
challenging women to do the right things
for their bones.”
Laura Tosi, M.D.,
director of the Bone Health Program at
Children’s National Medical Center in
Washington, D.C., and a Society for
Women’s Health Research board member,
spoke about the progress and goals of
bone health research.
“Broken bones frequently
rob individuals, particularly seniors,
of their independence,” Tosi said.
“Modern bone research seeks to
understand what makes bones strong and
thus how to prevent fractures in order
to ensure that everyone has the
opportunity to participate in the
activities they love best across their
entire lifespan.”
The briefing was made
possible with support from Roche and
GlaxoSmithKline.
###
Click here to view photos of the "Healthy
Bones; Health Life" Capitol Hill Briefing.
Established in 1984, the
National
Osteoporosis Foundation
is the nation’s leading voluntary health
organization solely dedicated to
osteoporosis and bone health. Its
mission is to prevent osteoporosis and
related fractures, to promote lifelong
bone health, to help improve the lives
of those affected by osteoporosis, and
to find a cure through programs of
awareness, advocacy, public and health
professional education and research. For
more information on osteoporosis and
bone health, contact NOF online at
www.nof.org or by telephone (800)
223-9994.
The Society for
Women’s Health Research is the nation’s
only non-profit organization whose
mission is to improve the health of all
women through research, education and
advocacy. Founded in 1990, the Society
brought to national attention the need
for the appropriate inclusion of women
in major medical research studies and
the need for more information
about conditions affecting women
exclusively, disproportionately,
or differently than men. The
Society advocates increased
funding for research on women’s health;
encourages the study of sex differences
that may affect the prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of disease;
promotes the inclusion of women in
medical research studies; and informs
women, providers, policy makers and
media about contemporary women’s health
issues. Visit the Society’s Web site at
www.womenshealthresearch.org for
more information.
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