Dozens of Free Workshops, Seminars, and Lectures for Patients, Families

BURLINGTON, VT - More than thirty cancer researchers and specialists from Fletcher Allen Health Care, the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and Copley Hospital will participate in the 6th annual Stowe Weekend of Hope May 5-7, 2005.  The event begins with an address by ovarian cancer survivor Liz Jeffords, wife of Vermont's United States Senator Jim Jeffords. Vermont Governor Jim Douglas will officially welcome everyone to the event Friday afternoon.

Organized to provide free support and education to cancer patients and their families, the Stowe Weekend of Hope includes dozens of free lectures and workshops by many of the foremost experts in cancer treatment and prevention today.

With topics ranging from the latest in radiation therapy to the therapeutic benefits of art, the event will provide information to anyone who has been affected by the disease.

More than 1,000 people from across the United States and Canada are expected for the Stowe Weekend of Hope, and the lodging members of the Stowe Area Association are providing hundreds of free rooms for individuals and families attending for the first time; returnees will be offered discounted rates.  Also, Amtrak is again providing a limited number of complimentary seats on the "Train of Hope", round-trip service from Washington D.C. to Vermont, complete with healthy food, activities, and fun.

Most of the Stowe Weekend of Hope activities are free.  The event is sponsored by the Stowe Area Association, Fletcher Allen Health Care, and Copley Hospital.

For more information about the event, visit the Stowe Weekend of Hope web site at http://www.stowehope.org or call 1-800-GO-STOWE.