Cookie Johnson and Abbott Bring 'I Stand With Magic: Campaign to End Black AIDS' to Los Angeles to Educate African-American Wome
01 Dicembre 2007 - 6:29PM
PR Newswire (US)
'I Stand With Magic' Program Offers Free and Confidential HIV
Testing and Education in Recognition of World AIDS Day 2007 LOS
ANGELES, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In conjunction with
World AIDS Day, Cookie Johnson, the wife of Earvin "Magic" Johnson,
and Abbott are bringing the "I Stand With Magic" program to Los
Angeles to educate the African-American community, specifically
women, on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. The program aims to
reduce new HIV infections among African Americans by half over five
years. Cookie joins the "I Stand With Magic" program, which has a
new emphasis: to urge women to get informed, tested and treated for
HIV/AIDS and provide tools for prevention and testing. Cookie is
visiting Los Angeles as part of a three-city tour of "I Stand With
Magic" events around World AIDS Day. HIV testing and celebrity
concerts also are being held in Chicago and New York City to
highlight the first-year results of the campaign and renewed
efforts to reach African-American and other minority women. At the
West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Cookie will be joined by
leading HIV/AIDS clinicians from across the nation, who will
provide the medical perspective on HIV/AIDS among minority women. A
concert, featuring Mary Mary and the Soul Seekers, also will take
place. Through these events, Cookie hopes to encourage women to
"stand with Magic" and take control of their health by getting
informed about the risks of HIV. The "I Stand with Magic" program,
a part of the "Campaign to End Black AIDS"
(http://www.istandwithmagic.com/), was announced December 1, 2006.
Since its launch, the "I Stand With Magic" program has provided
free HIV/AIDS testing to more than 21,000 Americans in 16 cities
with large African-American populations. Additionally, the campaign
has educated nearly 200,000 people with 70,000 enrolled in the
campaign Web site, http://www.istandwithmagic.com/. The campaign's
emphasis is on African-American and other minority communities
where new HIV infections are on the rise. Approximately half of the
nearly 40,000 new AIDS diagnoses each year occur among African
Americans, who represent just 13 percent of the population.
Cumulatively, Los Angeles has had the second highest number of AIDS
cases for major cities in the United States. "When we first learned
about Earvin's diagnosis we bonded together as a family to arm
ourselves with education on HIV/AIDS," said Cookie. "I was
determined that we would fight this disease together as a family.
As the newest 'I Stand With Magic' program ambassador, I will
encourage women in minority communities in America to get educated,
tested and treated for HIV/AIDS throughout the next year. Today, I
want to share what we learned about HIV/AIDS with others,
especially women who might be going through a similar situation as
my own." HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles Los Angeles ranked third among
cities in the United States for the number of new AIDS cases
diagnosed in 2004. Furthermore, Los Angeles had the highest number
of AIDS cases in California, more than twice the number of any
other county, in 2006. In 2005, 27 percent of AIDS diagnoses in Los
Angeles were among African Americans. HIV/AIDS in the United States
African Americans account for approximately half of the nearly
500,000 Americans estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS and have
represented nearly 40 percent of all deaths among people with AIDS
in the United States. The rate of AIDS diagnosis for black women is
approximately 23 times the rate for white women and four times the
rate for Hispanic women. Additionally, black women account for 66
percent of new AIDS cases among women. About "I Stand with Magic"
Through the "I Stand with Magic" program, Abbott and the Magic
Johnson Foundation are joining forces to address the alarming rate
of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community by aiming to reduce
the new HIV infection rate in half over five years. Through this
partnership, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Abbott hold educational
activities and testing events in cities with high HIV infection
rates. In 2006, the initiative embarked on a 10-city tour of high
schools and counseling centers across the nation to provide HIV
testing, education and additional resources for HIV-positive
individuals. In 2007, the campaign has visited almost 200 churches,
high schools and colleges. For more information and to "stand with
Magic" in the fight against HIV/AIDS, visit
http://www.istandwithmagic.com/. About the Magic Johnson Foundation
The Magic Johnson Foundation was established in 1991 as a
single-disease organization that works to raise funds for
community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and
prevention programs. The Foundation has since responded to the
growing need to address all aspects of our youth's lives by
expanding its mission. This expanded mission emphasizes the
Foundation's focus on supporting community-based organizations and
development programs that serve the health, educational and social
needs of those residing in minority communities. About Abbott
Abbott has been a leader in HIV/AIDS research since the early years
of the epidemic. In 1985, the company developed the first licensed
test to detect HIV antibodies in the blood and remains a leader in
HIV diagnostics. Abbott retroviral and hepatitis tests are used to
screen more than half of the world's donated blood supply. Abbott
has developed two protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV.
Expanding on its scientific contributions, Abbott and Abbott Fund
have invested more than $100 million in developing countries to
improve the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS through programs
targeting critical areas of need, including strengthening health
care systems, supporting children affected by HIV/AIDS, and
advancing HIV testing and treatment. For more information on
Abbott's HIV/AIDS programs, please visit
http://www.abbott.com/HIVAIDS and http://www.abbottglobalcare.org/.
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the
discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of
pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals,
devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and
markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news
releases and other information are available on the company's Web
site at http://www.abbott.com/. DATASOURCE: Abbott CONTACT: Julie
Herlocker, Abbott, +1-847-772-5636; or Tammy Warren of the Magic
Johnson Foundation, +1-310-246-4400 Web site:
http://www.abbott.com/ http://www.abbott.com/HIVAIDS
http://www.abbottglobalcare.org/ http://www.istandwithmagic.com/
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