Read Powered By Me!'s response to the Mitchell Report:

YOUTH IMPACTED BY RECENT "MITCHELL REPORT" ON MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STEROID ABUSE

Powered by ME!, already in place in Maryland, educates young athletes about the dangers of using steroids.

Major generational health risk: Long-term steroid abuse causes significant bodily harm

Baltimore, MD - Former Senator George Mitchell's call for 'a well-planned, well-executed, and sustained effort . to bring the era of steroids and human growth hormone to an end,' is exactly why a year ago we launched Powered by ME!, an innovative program to change the "win at all cost" mindset among young athletes," said John Tolmie president and CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

In February 2007, St. Joseph Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland along with the Maryland State Department of Education, Congressman Elijah Cummings, and other key partners launched Powered by ME! (www.poweredbymemd.com). Poised to become a national model for parents, coaches and athletes across the country, Powered by ME! educates young people about the dangers of anabolic steroids and
other performance enhancing substances. The project functions on a grassroots level by working with the public and private schools, health clubs, youth sports leagues and similar programs in a campaign to get a single, simple message to student athletes - performance enhancing substances are tantamount to cheating and can even be life-threatening.

"We've educated more than 1,000 youth, parents and coaches since last February, and the reception has been phenomenal, overwhelming. They're paying attention," added Tolmie.

The Maryland effort to steer young athletes away from performance enhancing substances traces its beginnings to the highly publicized March 2005 congressional hearing on steroids in professional baseball.

"Some professional athletes have set a bad example for our country's youth. It is so important that we educate our children and make sure they understand that anabolic steroid use for the sole purpose of winning the game is cheating, is dangerous and is wrong," said Congressman Elijah E. Cummings.

Powered by ME! has panels of community and medical experts available to speak on the topic of the abuse of steroids by athletes and the impact on youth. Other Powered by ME! founding partners include Orthopaedic Associates, Towson Sports Medicine, The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore Blast and St. Agnes HealthCare. Also a blue ribbon panel of volunteer experts who represent coaches, teachers, parents, athletes and medical professionals has been established to support the educational program.