ADVISORY/``Healthy Babies -- Healthy Futures'' Dinner Honors Outstanding African-Americans, Raises Awareness of Health Risks African-American Babies Face.

News/Health Editors

ADVISORY...for Saturday (June 29)

WHAT:       "Healthy Babies -- Healthy Futures: A Salute to
            African-American Families"
            March of Dimes tribute dinner honors African-Americans
            from various fields of endeavor who have made a
            significant difference in their community, and raises
            awareness of the disparate risks African-American babies
            face coming into the world, with the aim of improving
            their health outcomes.

WHEN:       Saturday, June 29, 2002
            6:00 p.m. -- Photo/Interview Opportunity
            6:00 p.m. -- Auction/Reception
            7:30 p.m. -- Dinner and Awards Presentation

WHERE:      Los Angeles Marriott Downtown, Grand Ballroom
            333 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071

WHO:        Honorees:
            Nelson Atkins, partner, Atkins and Evans Attorneys at Law
            Paula Madison, president and general manager,
             KNBC-TV Channel 4
            John Williams, III, M.D., director, Div. Of Reproductive
             Genetics, Cedars-Sinai
            William Young, M.D., internist, Cana Medical Group

            Special Guests:
            Vanessa Williams, star of Showtime Network "Soul Food"
             series, is co-emcee.
            Lewis Dix, entertainer and host of "Urban Entertainment
             Buzz," is co-emcee.
            Nancy O'Dell, co-host of "Access Hollywood" will introduce
             Paula Madison.
            Attorney Johnny Cochran, will introduce Nelson Atkins.
            Genia and Walter Mills, local March of Dimes Ambassadors,
             will share a very personal story about their 14-month-old
             daughter, Alycia Mills, born at 25 weeks of pregnancy.

            Executive Committee: Faye McClure, Ken Bentley, Bruce
            Allen, Jr., Dr. P.H., Arthur I. Johnson, M.D., Suzon
            Long-Bivins, and Brian Thompson, Esq.

            The Presenting Sponsor is Farmers Insurance Group.
            Gold Sponsors are Board Ford, Friskies, and Zurich. The
            Silver Sponsor is Nestle. Bronze Sponsors include Atkins
            and Evans Law Firm; Cana Medical Group; Cedars-Sinai
            Medical Center; Crawford & Co.; Jacqueline and Paul
            Monash; L.A. Care Health Plan; and McCormick, Barstow,
            Sheppard, Wayle and Carruth Law Office.

WHY:        African-American babies are at greater risk of being born
            prematurely at a low birthweight. They are more likely to
            die in their first year of life than babies who are White,
            Latino, or Asian. The March of Dimes mission is to
            eradicate racial disparities like these, and to improve
            the health of all babies through research, community
            services, education, and advocacy.

INFORMATION: For event information or to purchase tickets, please
             contact Cory Ervin at [phone] or via email at
             [e-mail].

MEDIA
RSVP:       Contact Anita Roark at [phone] or Irma Arvizu at
            [phone] or via email at [e-mail] or
            [e-mail]

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. The Southern California Chapter serves a population of more than 22 million people and has divisions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. Call the Southern California Chapter office at [phone] or the national Resource Center at (888) MODIMES. Additional information is available on the March of Dimes website in English at www.modimes.org or in Spanish at www.nacersano.org.