AEGiS-PRn: National Football League Players Association Teams up With Outreach, Inc. To Tackle HIV/AIDS in the African-American Community

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

National Football League Players Association Teams up With Outreach, Inc. To Tackle HIV/AIDS in the African-American Community

PRNewswire - November 23, 1999

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), in a bold off-the-field move, has teamed up with Outreach, Inc., in a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) designed to inform the public, particularly the African-American community, about the dramatic increase in HIV infection. The campaign kicks off with the Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, joining this groundbreaking event to commend this unique partnership and encourage increased community involvement to fight this public health crisis. Tuesday, November 23, 1999, 9:00 a.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The PSAs will also air on television and radio stations in New York/Newark, Atlanta, Oakland and Miami.

"It is a pleasure to partner with Sandra McDonald and Outreach Inc., to bring attention to this dreadful illness. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been increasing at a startling rate throughout the country, particularly in the African-American community," said Gene Upshaw, executive director, NFLPA. "I hope our involvement will have a positive impact that will assist in curbing the alarming statistics of HIV/AIDS. Hopefully, our partnership will encourage others to join us in raising the awareness of the impact of this disease."

At the kick-off, NFL players, who are featured in the PSAs, will focus attention on the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on African-Americans. The statistics paint a grim picture:

* HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is the leading cause of death among African-American males ages 25-44 and the second leading cause of death among African-American females in the same age range.

* African-Americans account for almost 37 percent of the nation's AIDS cases, but comprise only 12 percent of the U.S. population.

* One in 50 African-American men and 1 in 160 African-American women are infected with the virus.

National Kick-Off Speakers

* Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D, Ph.D.

* Gene Upshaw, Executive Director, NFLPA

* Sandra Singleton McDonald, President/Founder, Outreach, Inc.

* Brian Mitchell, Running Back, Washington Redskins

* Charles Way, Fullback, NY Giants

* Walter W. Shervington, M.D., President, National Medical Association

* Rick Winningham, President, Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology/Immunology Division

* Helene Gayle, M.D., Director for the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Today is a historic event and an important milestone for African-Americans who need to be aware of the impact HIV/AIDS is having in our community. I am extremely grateful to the leadership of the NFLPA and the support of the NFL players whose involvement in these PSAs demonstrated their concern and willingness to make a meaningful difference in our battle against the growing threat of HIV/AIDS," said Sandra McDonald, president, Outreach Inc., a community-based organization based in Atlanta, Ga. "Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, has made an appeal for more African-American leaders to join in the fight to halt the HIV epidemic, and we hope that this partnership will encourage the involvement of many, many others. We are appreciative of Bristol-Myers Squibb, our sponsoring partner, for making this project a reality."

This community-based initiative, headquartered in Atlanta, is spearheaded by Sandra Singleton McDonald, one of the country's leading HIV/AIDS experts. She is a member of the Health Resources Service Administration's AIDS Advisory Committee and has a long-standing relationship with the NFLPA. The NFLPA, long committed to assisting charitable and community organizations, has joined in this effort to heighten awareness about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Washington media event announcing the NFLPA/Outreach, Inc. African-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign is sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

SOURCE Outreach, Inc.

CONTACT: Carl Francis of the National Football League Players Association, 202-463-2216; or Alfred White of Outreach, Inc., 404-755-6700; or Shanna Duncan of IssueSphere, 202-452-6500, ext. 104/
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