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 Leaders
From Politics, Medicine and Religion Join
The Balm In Gilead, Inc.™ As National Co-Chairs of the
16th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS
March 6-12, 2005
Congressman Mel Watt, National Medical Association’s
Dr. Winston Price, Journalist George Curry, Gospel Legend Bobby Jones and National
Nurses Association Dr. Betty Lewis Lead Thousands of Churches in Nation’s
Largest AIDS Awareness Campaign
NEW YORK, NY—February 17, 2005--Pernessa Seele, founder and CEO of The
Balm In Gilead, announced today that Congressman Mel Watt, National Medical Association’s
Dr. Winston Price, National Newspaper Publisher Association’s George Curry,
Gospel Legend Bobby Jones and National Nurses Association Dr. Betty Lewis will
serve as national co-chairs for the 16th annual national observance of The
Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 6-12,
2005.
“It is with both pride and a commitment that I accept an invitation to serve
as a national Co-Chairperson for The Balm In Gilead’s 16th Annual Black
Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS,” said Congressman Watt. “As
Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am calling on all of us to join with
The Balm In Gilead to fight for funding for HIV/AIDS education, prevention, treatment
and care for those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.”
The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, the
organization’s flagship program, is one of the largest HIV/AIDS awareness
campaign targeting African Americans. “The Balm In Gilead is honored to
have these distinguished leaders serve as national co-chairs of The 16th Annual
Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS,” said Seele. “This
horrendous HIV/AIDS epidemic among African Americans is growing and the voices
and actions of all leaders are critical at this time.”
HIV infection has been designated the fifth largest leading cause of death
for people 25-44 years old in the United States, and the leading cause of death
for African-American men ages 35-44. As reported in the HIV/AIDS Surveillance
Report (2002), Vol. 14, African Americans accounted for the majority (54%) of
new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2002.
“
Clearly, we must do a better job of delivering hard-hitting, realistic,
and understandable information to all Americans about the pervasive presence of
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases in general,” said Dr. Price.
“We need to offer a barrage of preventive measures that include community
planning, counseling, testing and evaluation. Most importantly, we must provide
potent and repeated messages about the insidious reality of HIV/AIDS and its devastating
impact right here at home.”
The rate of AIDS cases among African American adults or adolescents (76.4 per
100,000) was nearly 11 times greater than that of Whites (7.0 per 100,000) and
nearly three times that of Latinos (26.0 per 100,000) in 2002.
Since its inception in 1989, The Black Church Week of Prayer for the
Healing of AIDS has engaged thousands of Black Churches to become centers
for education, compassion and care in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The organization
is encouraging Black churches across the United States to host educational workshops,
seminars, prayer vigils, or simply distribute information during The Black
Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS. Churches are also being
encouraged to assist in getting more African Americans to take the HIV test and
to give compassionate care and support to persons living with HIV.
Today across the country, African American congregational responses range from
consistent distribution of brochures during Sunday Morning worship to full-scale
direct service programs. As The Balm In Gilead continues its work in the African
American faith community, the organization has expanded its services to build
the capacity of faith communities in Cote d’ Ivoire, Nigeria, Tanzania,
Kenya and Zimbabwe.
To find out how your church can get involved in The Black Church Week of Prayer
for the Healing of AIDS, or to get full statement from the national co-chairs,
log onto the organization’s website at www.balmingilead.org. or call 888-225-6243.
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