news release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 4, 2009

CONTACT:
Aaron Pickering
(202) 466-3686 ext. 137 		apickering@equaljusticeworks.org
www.equaljusticeworks.org
EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS ALUMNA HONORED BY AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Cancer Society has awarded a 2009 American Cancer Society Lane W. Adams Quality of Life Award to Haley Schwartz, Director of the Breast Cancer Legal Project at Atlanta Legal Aid Society, a project she launched as an Equal Justice Works Fellow in 2005.

After obtaining her law degree from Emory University in 2005, Ms. Schwartz was awarded an Equal Justice Works Fellowship sponsored by Ford & Harrison LLP. She spent her two-year fellowship working on legal issues related to breast cancer.

Because low-income women are statistically more likely to have their breast cancer diagnosed at a later stage, they often receive inadequate treatment and a worse prognosis. “Legal services are often critical to breast cancer survival. Those that have limited resources and systems of support need an advocate to deal with the legal aspects of the medical, economic and personal issues that arise when patients are debilitated by their illness,” said Ms. Schwartz.

During her fellowship, Ms. Schwartz provided direct services and trained volunteer attorneys to assist in this effort. After completing the fellowship she continued her work at Atlanta Legal Aid Society.

The American Cancer Society Lane W. Adams Quality of Life Award is a prestigious national prize for cancer caring. The award recognizes individuals who have made a difference through innovation, leadership, and consistent excellence in providing compassionate, skilled care, and counsel to persons living with cancer and their families. Ms. Schwartz is receiving the award along with fourteen other exemplary cancer caregivers. For a complete roster of the 2009 award winners, click here.

The awards will be presented in a ceremony in Atlanta on Friday, May 8.

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The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. For more information about the Lane Adams Quality of Life Award visit http://www.cancer.org.

Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1986 by law students dedicated to working for equal justice on behalf of underserved communities and causes. Today, Equal Justice Works is the national leader in creating summer and postgraduate public interest opportunities for law students and lawyers as well as in urging more public interest programming at law schools. For more information, visit www.equaljusticeworks.org.

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