UPDATE: BET Foundation Returns to St. Louis for Women’s Health Forum on August 5 at the Missouri Black Expo

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 /PRNewswire/ — BET Networks’ non-profit entity, the BET Foundation returns to St. Louis to host its highly-anticipated event, “A Healthy BET: Women’s Health Forum: A Conversation About Our Health” on Saturday, August 5 from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Central Time at the America’s Center. BET joins a list of exciting event sponsors including General Mills and Honey Nut Cheerios, AstraZeneca, Missouri Foundation for Health, Majic 104.9, 100.3 The Beat and Gospel 1600.

The event will focus on addressing the various health issues and disparities that specifically impact African-American women; and provide a unique platform with vital health information and activities to motivate attendees to adopt healthy lifestyles. Through the Women’s Health Forum, the BET Foundation seeks to encourage the African-American community in St. Louis to take control of their health by empowering them with the key resources necessary to instill positive change.

The one-day event coincides with the renowned local Missouri Black Expo and will include a free early morning master workout session led by “A Healthy BET” spokesperson and fitness expert Jeanette Jenkins; a Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal-sponsored breakfast; a Q&A panel discussion; and free health screenings. The panel discussion and health fair are sponsored events at the Missouri Black Expo. Entrance fee is required to the expo; and for more information, interested individuals should visit web sites http://www.ahealthybet.com/ or http://www.missouriblackexpo.com/.

Here are more details and a complete schedule for the “A Healthy BET” Women’s Health Forum:

   EVENT:      A Healthy BET: Women’s Health Forum:  A Conversation About Our               Health hosted by the BET Foundation, along with event sponsors               General Mills and Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal, Missouri               Foundation for Health, AstraZeneca, Majic 104.9, 100.3 The               Beat and Gospel 1600 KATZ    DATE/TIME:  Saturday, August 5 at 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.    LOCATION:   America’s Center; 701 Convention Plaza; St. Louis, MO; 63101    FORUM   SCHEDULE:   *10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Registration, Opening Program and                morning refreshments               *11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Master Fitness Class with Jeanette                Jenkins and Charley Johnson               (*Events held in the America’s Center Atrium — 2nd Level)               **1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Health Panel Discussion and Special               Presentations               **10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Health Fair sponsored by BET               Foundation               (**Inside the Missouri Black Expo, Main Stage — Entrance Fee               Required)    AVAILABLE   FOR MEDIA:  Forum Moderator and Panelists: Morning Session Speaker, Simone               Phillips, KTVI’s FOX 2 reporter Bonita Cornute, Former               Chairman and Founding Board Member of the Missouri Foundation               for Health, Mikki Brewster, President & CEO of Employee               Assistance and Individual Counselor Consultants (EAI-INC), Dr.               Evelyn Irving, Regina Smith James, M.D., Chief, Pediatric               Eating Disorders Program Division of Pediatric Translational               Research & Treatment Development-National Institute of Mental               Health, NIH, DHHS, Motivational Speaker and AIDS Educator               Denise Stokes, “Health Connections,” Radio Host Rose Troupe,               Founder and President of Charley’s Body Shoppe, Charley               Johnson, “A Healthy BET” spokesperson and fitness expert               Jeanette Jenkins; BET Foundation Director Lynda Dorman; and               Event Sponsors.    ABOUT BET FOUNDATION  

The BET Foundation is a non-profit organization created to raise public awareness to the numerous health-related challenges within African-American communities. Established in 2003, the Foundation takes a pioneering step in addressing one of the leading behavioral-attributed health concerns among African-American women and families, obesity-related health concerns. Through specifically-tailored initiatives and targeted campaigns, the BET Foundation aims to insure that African Americans live longer and healthier lives. The initiatives of the BET Foundation include public service announcements (PSAs); targeted programming segments; seminars and women’s health forums; health brochure materials; a dedicated toll-free hotline and website; and a nationwide Healthy BET Fitness Challenge contest to provide the tools and knowledge necessary for communities to develop long lasting healthy lifestyle habits. In 2005, the BET Foundation launched the Summer Camp for Girls aimed a providing girls ages 10-12 with a fun camp experience while learning how to live a healthier lifestyle. For more information, please visit http://www.ahealthybet.com/.

ABOUT GENERAL MILLS

General Mills, with annual net sales of $10.8 billion, is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer food products. Its global brand portfolio includes Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso and more. It also has more than 100 U.S. consumer brands, more than 30 of which generate annual retail sales in excess of $100 million. General Mills is also a leading supplier of baking and other food products to foodservice and commercial baking industries.

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, with healthcare sales of $23.95 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology, and infection products. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $10.77 billion healthcare business with more than 12,000 employees. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.

ABOUT MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH

Established in 2000 through the for-profit conversion of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in the state. MFH is in its fourth year of grantmaking, issuing more than $167 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured, underinsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis.

BET Networks

CONTACT: Lyntina Townsend of BET Networks, +1-202-608-2745,lyntina.townsend@bet.net; Yvette George, +1-901-643-5151,ygeorge@midsouth.rr.com, for the Missouri Black Expo; or Anisha F. Coleman ofthe Missouri Black Expo, +1-314-749-9331, journalistanisha@yahoo.com

Web site: http://www.bet.com/http://www.ahealthybet.com/http://www.missouriblackexpo.com/