Bianca Jagger will be the featured speaker at the University's 12th annual Women's Health Update, "Women, Prevention, and Children's Health."

The event will be held on April 6 at the Artists Collective, 1200 Albany Avenue in Hartford (behind St. Francis Hospital), from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Registration begins at 2:30 p.m.

Jagger, a tireless campaigner for human rights for more than 20 years, will speak on "Women and Children in the Third World." She is the former wife of Rolling Stone Mick Jagger.

A native of Nicaragua, Jagger focused her early efforts on Central America, participating in relief efforts on behalf of earthquake victims, homeless people, and refugees. She has

spoken before Congress on behalf of children and refugees around the world, and has supported People for the American Way, Amnesty International, and Save the Children.

Jagger, who has traveled around the world on fact-finding missions and relief efforts, has recently joined Save the Children in Albania, to assess the needs of thousands of displaced and underprivile ged children. There, she interviewed children in refugee camps, transit centers and those with host families, to document their stories.

For her achievements on environmental issues, Jagger was one of 10 recipients of the Rainforest Alliance's Green Globe Awards. She also has been honored by Amnesty International for her worldwide leadership in the fight for human rights.

The conference includes two panels running simultaneously, beginning at 5:15 p.m.:

• Protecting the Children on Our Planet, includes Barbara Watson, medical director of the Immunization Program and associate director of the TB Control Program for the City of Philadelphia; Rebecca Cole, who lost her son to a now preventable childhood illness, will discuss "Why Vaccinate: A Mother's Story." Elizabeth Epp, the panel moderator, is director of medical technology in the School of Allied Health and college coordinator for Hartford Hospital.
  
  
• The panel Women's Health includes Jane Kerstetter, associate professor of allied health, who will discuss nutrition and osteoporosis ; Jasminka Ilich-Ernst, also an associate professor of allied health, will discuss her current research on osteoporosis; Kristen A. Zarfos, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the UConn Health Center, will discuss her latest research on breast cancer. RuthAnn Lobo, a breast cancer education advocate and survivor, will moderate the panel. Lobo has authored The Home Team with her daughter, basketball legend Rebecca Lobo.
  
  

At 7:30 p.m., Helice Bridges, an inspirational trainer, will discuss "Who You are Makes a Difference," as described in the first edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

The fee for the conference is $45 per person, including program and dinner. To register, call (860) 486-4262 by March 30.

Sherry Fisher