First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton announced on Sep. 10, 1998 the $8 million Seattle Gastrointestinal Program as part of a special White House event on "New Efforts to Promote Colon Cancer Prevention."
This event featured the following speakers, in addition to Mrs. Clinton:
- Donna Shalala, secretary of Health and Human Services
- Katie Couric, NBC "Today" show co-anchor
- Ellen Levine, Good HouseKeeping editor-in-chief
- Dr. Bernard Levin, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and chair of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable