The facility at Windber Medical Center will be located near the recently completed $8 Million medical arts building and will be called the Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center, according to Nick Jacobs, President of Windber Medical Center. "I think this is the first public facility in the area to be identified with Mrs. Murtha," Jacobs said. "It seemed to me an appropriate gesture in the light of Congressman John Murtha's (D-PA) continuing interest in the health problems of women, in or out of uniform. Our board concurred."

Murtha was "surprised and delighted" that the breast care center will bear his wife's name, noting, "Joyce has long urged me to help with preventive medicine." Emphasizing that the focus of this project is on improving the health and well being of the nation's servicewomen, he added, "I am convinced that we will be able to find a cure and ultimately be able to prevent breast cancer and that's why I've been in the forefront in directing over $500 million of defense funding into breast cancer research and related programs in recent years," he said. "It makes economic sense and defense sense to focus on breast cancer research and treatment for our servicewomen, especially when these programs can simultaneously benefit every woman and the families of every woman in America who faces breast cancer."

In December 1998, Congressman Murtha announced that Windber Medical Center would be a partner with Walter Reed Army Hospital in a unique, non-invasive heart disease reversal program that will be located in the new medical arts building scheduled to open next month. 

David Klementik, Chairman of Windber Medical Center's Board of Directors, praised Congressman Murtha's efforts in bringing the breast cancer risk assessment and treatment program to Windber Medical Center. "It is another link in our continuing effort to develop the absolute best health care delivery system possible for the citizens of the region," he said.

Dr. Richard Saluzzo, Chief Executive officer of Conemaugh Health System, of which Windber Medical Center is a member, said, "The Conemaugh Health System is extremely pleased and excited about receiving the breast care center grant. This center will be an important part of our regional cancer program. This grant will allow the citizens of the region to receive the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic breast cancer treatment anywhere."

Saluzzo also noted that in October Conemaugh Health System began a productive affiliation with the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, giving area residents greater access to cutting edge cancer research.

Everyone involved in today's announcement at Windber Medical Center heaped praise on Attorney Jeanne McKelvey, a member of the Windber Medical Center Board of Directors who, according to Klementik, "did the heavy lifting in convincing all concerned parties in Washington that this project needed doing at Windber Medical Center."

Jacobs said details of the breast cancer program at Windber Medical Center will be announced at the press conference today.

SOURCE: Windber Medical Center

CO: Windber Medical Center; Conemaugh Health System