* WHAT DOES GOOD HEALTH REALLY LOOK LIKE? *
PREVENTION & ABC NEWS NOW NAME 5 FINALISTS IN NATIONWIDE “PICTURE OF HEALTH” CONTEST

- Vote for $10,000 Winner at AbcNewsNow.com by May 25, 11:59 PM, ET–

New York, NY, May 9, 2007 – A woman who suffered a devastating brain stem stroke at 33 that left her paralyzed and a sister who saved her mother, siblings and self from breast cancer–all within a single year–are among the five finalists selected by Prevention and ABC News Now in a nationwide contest to find the woman 40+ who is the “Picture of Health.” The five women are profiled in the June issue of Prevention magazine, on newsstands today, and on abcnewsnow.com, where votes can be cast for the finalist who best embodies the “Picture of Health.” Voting closes Friday, May 25, 11:59 p.m., ET. The winner will receive $10,000–$5,000 for herself and $5,000 for her charity of choice, be announced on ABC News’ Good Morning America and appear in the October issue of Prevention.

Said Liz Vaccariello, editor in chief, “Clearly, these five women are outstanding role models of healthy living, but what makes them truly extraordinary is that they’ve all been able to achieve this despite facing serious life challenges. They’re an inspiration to all of us.” Vaccariello can be seen interviewing the five finalists at prevention.com/pictureofhealth.

“We received hundreds of submissions and are thrilled to feature each of these woman’s incredible stories that exemplify healthy living,” said Michael Clemente, senior executive producer, ABC News Digital Media. “They are true inspirations to women everywhere and we look forward to see who America votes as the winner.”

The 2007 Picture of Health finalists are:

Kate Adamson-Klugman, 45, Manhattan Beach, CA: After a devastating brain stem stroke at 33 that left her paralyzed, she miraculously relearned how to walk and went on to found stroke victim support groups and help educate kids about disability awareness. She still lives with some paralysis and makes it to the gym every day. “Take action, get educated, and care for the body you have,” she says. “That’s what helped me when I needed it most.”

Caron Tate, 56, Los Angeles, CA: When excruciating nerve pain forced her to give up her dream of performing, she took back her life by taking control of her health, personally seeking out the right combination of chiropractic care, acupuncture, visualization and massage. Good health is not about size zero clothes and extreme workouts for Tate. It’s about eating right (most of the time), being active (hula hooping is her favorite) and loving yourself for who you are.

B. J. Reed, 66, Medford, OR: She recovered from a deadly car accident that took the life of her 3 1/2-year-old son and put her in a coma for three days. Doctors told her she wouldn’t be able to have more children (her entire middle was
crushed) or bend her knee again. She went on to have two more sons and now trains for marathons and triathlons. Reed makes sure she takes care of herself “both inside and out.”

Janet Vittone, MD, 43, Rochester, MN: When this Mayo Clinic doctor discovered her own breast cancer, she encouraged her mother and two sisters to get checked out, too. Unbelievably, all four of them were diagnosed with breast cancer within the span of a single year—and survived. Says Vittone, “…When I tell people my story, I’m not trying to make them cry. I just want them to put their health in their hands.”

Robin Leffler, 41, Oregon, OH: After her divorce eight years ago, she went from never exercising to working out almost every day. Now this single mom teaches eight fitness classes a week and leads the YMCA’s Lose Big program, around her regular 9-to-5 sales job. Her new mission–”to get people excited about exercise”–has also done wonders for her own heart health. She has tachycardia, a condition that causes a rapid heartbeat, among other issues, and was at risk
to receive a pacemaker before she discovered her passion for exercise.

To enter the Picture of Health contest, women or their nominators submitted essays explaining in 250 words or less what good health means to them. Then, each entrant uploaded a 1-minute “Picture of Health” testimonial video.
Prevention and ABC News Now received hundreds of submissions.