St. Luke’s receives CEO Cancer Gold Standard(TM) accreditation

St. Luke's Hospital has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ accreditation, recognizing the organization's extraordinary commitment to the health of their employees and their families.

Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi, chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs who created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading health non-profit organizations and professionals. Today, more than two and a half million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.

“We strive to provide as many wellness initiatives to our employees as possible,” said Ted Townsend, St. Luke's president and CEO. “Receiving this accreditation demonstrates our commitment to the health and well-being of our employees and their loved ones.”

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ calls for companies to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages when outcomes may be more favorable; and providing access to quality care, including participation in cancer clinical trials.

St. Luke's is a fully accredited 532-bed hospital serving a five-county area surrounding Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded in 1884 as Cedar Rapids' first hospital, today it offers a wide range of patient care services with strengths in cardiac care, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, rehabilitation, behavioral health, general surgery, trauma care and senior services. St. Luke's Hospital is nationally recognized as a Top 100 and Magnet Hospital.

The

CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to "do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families." The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the

CEO Cancer Gold Standard, a comprehensive program designed to combat cancer from every angle by focusing on prevention, early detection and quality care.  For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit

www.CancerGoldStandard.org.