BERLIN, Vt. (Sept. 4, 2008) ---- National Life Group today announced a $250,000 contribution through its charitable foundation to assist in the construction of a radiation therapy facility at Central Vermont Medical Center.

The announcement came Thursday at a groundbreaking ceremony for the 15,000-square-foot facility, which will allow thousands of residents of Central Vermont to receive cancer treatments closer to home.

"National Life was a primary force behind the creation of this hospital in the 1960s and we have been committed to its growth and continued success since then," said Thomas H. MacLeay, president, chairman and CEO of National Life Group. "Our strong financial support of this project was never in doubt. Thousands of Vermonters will benefit from having a cancer treatment center here at Central Vermont.

CVMC President and CEO Judy Tarr announced that the facility, in recognition of National Life's steadfast support of Central Vermont Medical Center over the last half century, will be named the National Life Cancer Treatment Center.

"We are pleased to have National Life Group as a significant partner in bringing radiation therapy services to the region," said Tarr. "Community members and physicians have been asking for this service for many years because of the hardship on patients and families in traveling to existing service sites in Burlington, Vermont or Lebanon, New Hampshire."

The cancer treatment center is the result of a pioneering partnership featuring CVMC, Dartmouth Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center and Fletcher Allen Health Care's Vermont Cancer Center.

The National Life Cancer Treatment Center is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2009 and is forecast to provide 6,960 radiation therapy treatments during its first year of operation.

MacLeay said the financial contribution for the construction of the center will come primarily from the National Life Group Charitable Foundation (www.nlgcf.com), which was created in 2006 to enhance National Life's commitment to give back to its community.

MacLeay said that one of his predecessors, Deane C. Davis, was a leading force behind the decision to construct the hospital in the 1960s and that National Life donated $150,000 to launch the $1 million fundraising campaign to build CVMC.

"Our donation then helped to jumpstart the effort to make this hospital a reality and I hope our commitment today has the same effect in making the cancer treatment center a reality," said MacLeay.

National Life has been a steady financial supporter of CVMC. The company was a major contributor to the just-completed modernization project. In addition, the company was a major donor of the hospital's intensive care center, which is named in honor of Deane C. Davis, who served as president of National Life from 1950 to 1966. He served as governor of Vermont from 1969-1973.

National Life Group is a diversified family of financial service companies that has successfully forged a strong identity as a product innovator offering personalized service. Companies in the group offer a comprehensive portfolio of life insurance, annuity and investment products to help individuals, families and businesses pursue their financial goals. The Group is made up of its flagship company, National Life Insurance Company, founded in Montpelier, Vermont in 1848; Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Dallas, Texas, and Sentinel Investments, Equity Services, Inc. and National Retirement Plan Advisors, all based in Montpelier.

The goal of the National Life Group Charitable Foundation is to give back to the community by supporting organizations and initiatives that make a positive difference. The Foundation was created in 2006 and focuses on health and human services, youth, arts, education and housing.

For information about Central Vermont Medical Center:
Susan Kruthers
802-371-4197

For information about the National Life Group Charitable Foundation:
Martha Trombley Oakes
mtrombleyoakes@nationallife.com
802-229-7214