Magic Johnson, AHF mark ‘World AIDS Day’

In News by AHF

Yesterday, Johnson presented ‘World AIDS Day Magic Award’ to Cynthia Davis, respected longtime Southland AIDS advocate, announced plans for three new AHF/Magic Johnson treatment clinics and kicked off free HIV testing caravan

LOS ANGELES (December 2, 2011)⎯Among the many events around the country and around the world that AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) spearheaded yesterday to commemorate World AIDS Day, was an event with Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson at the AHF “Magic Johnson” Healthcare Center in the West Adams district of Los Angeles.

Magic Johnson & AHF, longtime partners in six free AHF/Magic Johnson treatment clinics and several HIV testing initiatives announced plans for three new AHF ‘Magic’ Johnson Healthcare Centers (Brooklyn, NY; Ft. Worth, TX and Atlanta, GA). The basketball legend also presented the second annual ‘World AIDS Day Magic Award’ to Cynthia Davis, a respected, longtime Southland AIDS advocate and assistant professor and program director at the Medical Sciences Institute at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in recognition of nearly three decades of AIDS advocacy and education.

At the event, Mr. Johnson and AHF President Michael Weinstein also kicked off a World AIDS Day HIV testing caravan in Los Angeles with an Indy 500-style flag waving ceremony as several testing van units from AHF fan out to sites throughout L.A. County for daylong free HIV testing events. AHF hosted similar World AIDS Day testing events in the Bay Area, Florida & Washington, DC.

Last year, AHF presented the inaugural ‘World AIDS Day Magic Award’ to Johnson, an NBA legend and successful entrepreneur, in recognition of his work raising funds and awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment since he first publicly announced his own HIV-positive status in November 1991. Johnson is Chairman and Founder of the respected non-profit Magic Johnson Foundation, which raises funds for community-based organizations focused on HIV/AIDS education and prevention. The Foundation also works to develop programs and provide services that address the broader educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities throughout the nation.

“Magic Johnson is a hero and icon in the fight against AIDS, and we applaud him for the courage and leadership he has shown in this ongoing battle,” said Michael Weinstein, AHF President. “Since he first went public with his own HIV status twenty years ago, Magic has spoken out and raised funds and awareness to prevent the spread of HIV and for the care and treatment of those living with the disease. As a public figure—and through his own personal experience living successfully with HIV—Magic serves as a steadfast and consistent beacon, letting others who may also be infected know that seeking medical care and lifesaving antiretroviral treatment is the right thing to do. We are honored to announce these four new clinics in partnership with Magic, and to join his has he presents the second annual ‘World AIDS Day Magic Award’ to Cynthia Davis.”

 

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