On Weekend Before the Election, New Jersey's First Ladies Speak Out for ...( Former First Ladies Join New Jersey ...),Health

Former First Ladies Join New Jersey State Nurses Association to Ask Voters

and Policy Makers to Think of Health Care

TRENTON, N.J., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling themselves "The Healthcare First Ladies," some of New Jersey's former First Ladies have joined forces to ask the state's public policy makers to put health care at the top of the agenda at the state and federal level. The First Ladies joined the newest members of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, the New Jersey State Nurses Association, in making the pitch to elected officials.

The former New Jersey First Ladies who agreed to participate in this new Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease effort are:

-- Lucinda Florio, wife of former New Jersey Governor James Florio

-- Margaret Bennett, wife of former New Jersey Governor John Bennett

-- Dina Matos McGreevey, wife of former New Jersey Governor James McGreevey

-- Mary Jo Codey, wife of former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey

"The meltdown on Wall Street has understandably overshadowed health care as the top public policy, but we want to remind our policy makers that health care is inextricably linked to the economy and it is important that it remain a prime focus," said Dr. Barbara Chamberlain, RN, President of the New Jersey State Nurses Association.

"The science is irrefutable," said Mrs. Bennett, a Nurse Practitioner. "The stress that comes with hard economic times has a very real impact on the health of our citizens. We will see increases in a whole host of chronic diseases in the months and years ahead as a result of the financial crisis. Our leaders need to begin thinking now about how they will handle these illnesses."

"This is not a partisan political plea," said Mrs. Florio. "Both political parties have recognized that investments in chronic disease prevention can pay real dividends in terms of cost savings to employers and public entities as well as healthie
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