7/12/2005

WOMEN 4 WOMEN SELECTS JEWISH HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER EAST

FOR PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE AWARENESS OF GENDER-SPECIFIC MEDICINE

LOUISVILLE, KY – Jewish Hospital Medical Center East’s (JHMCE) Center for Gender-Specific Medicine has been selected by Women 4 Women, a nonprofit organization that works to improve the health and economic well-being of women and girls, to form a partnership to improve health care for women and their families in the Louisville community. The Center at JHMCE is one of the first facilities of its kind in the United States. “This partnership reflects the synergy that our two organizations have created to positively impact the lives and health of women in Louisville and to advance the pioneering new science of gender-specific medicine,” said Deborah Molnar, president and CEO of Jewish Hospital Medical Center East. “Working together works, and we have a genuine desire to work closely with the Women 4 Women organization to make tangible and long-lasting contributions in the local health care arena.” Gender-Specific Medicine recognizes how both normal function and the experience of disease are influenced by gender. In every system of the body, from the way hearts beat to the way medication is metabolized, there are significant and unique gender-based differences. Understanding these differences, said Molnar, influences all aspects of patient care from how disease is diagnosed to the regimens of medication that are provided patients. Women 4 Women, founded in 1993, partners with many community organizations and agencies on programs such as Fit4Me, which is a holistic approach to helping build self-esteem and develop better fitness and nutrition habits. “Advances in gender-specific medicine will make prevention and treatment much more effective for both women and men,” said Ann Coffey, executive director of Women 4 Women. “Both sexes win when medical care is tailored to their unique physiologies, so partnering with the Center for Gender-Specific Medicine is an ideal fit with our goal of making Louisville one of the best places for girls, women and their families to live and work.” With the partnership, the Center for Gender-Specific Medicine at Jewish Hospital Medical Center East will be the featured sponsor of Women 4 Women’s annual luncheon featuring best-selling author Gail Blanke, who wrote In My Wildest Dreams, Living the Life You Long For. Blanke is founder, president and chief executive officer of Lifedesigns, LLC, a company whose vision is to empower men and women worldwide to live truly exceptional lives. Last year’s luncheon attracted 1,000 business and community leaders. This year’s luncheon is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the downtown Marriott hotel. Tickets are available by contacting Cote Stepteau, 502-561-8060, ext. 1019. ###