'Oprah' Highlights Role of AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Its Magic Johnson Clinics in U.S. Response to Epidemic

'Oprah' Highlights Role of AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Its Magic Johnson Clinics in U.S. Response to Epidemic

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's 'Oprah Winfrey Show,' called 'Magic Johnson: HIV and AIDS in America,' highlighted the important role that AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the nation's largest AIDS organization, and its four Magic Johnson Clinics are playing in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the U.S. The AHF Magic Johnson Clinics, located in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Jacksonville, Florida, were named in partnership with and in honor of basketball great Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr., who revealed his HIV-positive status in November, 1991. The four clinics are among the fourteen U.S. healthcare centers operated by AHF, which provide free lifesaving care and treatment to thousands of people living with HIV in this country.

Today's show featured an interview with the legendary Magic Johnson and examined the changing face of the epidemic, including the soaring numbers of new infections among African-Americans, Latinos and women. Ms. Winfrey asked Mr. Johnson about AHF's Magic Johnson Clinics and how they are reaching out to people living with HIV. Mr. Johnson responded that the clinics "really help a lot of people." He added, "For those who can't afford it, we provide the medicine for free."

"In this one show, Oprah and Magic will accomplish so much in reaching out to millions of people with the important messages of HIV prevention, care and treatment," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "We thank Magic for his ongoing commitment in the fight over these past years and extend our deepest gratitude to Oprah for her leadership in bringing such critical information on HIV/AIDS to America in such an accessible way."

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the nation's largest AIDS organization, operates free treatment clinics in the U.S., Asia, Africa and Latin America/Caribbean serving nearly fifty thousand people in need worldwide. In addition, AHF runs a Medicaid disease management program serving approximately 10,000 Floridians living with HIV/AIDS. For more information about AHF's programs and services, please visit www.aidshealth.org . Additional information about today's 'Oprah Winfrey Show' can be found at www.oprah.com .

Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

CONTACT: Lori Yeghiayan, Associate Director of Communications,
+1-323-860-5227, or mobile, +1-323-377-4312, or Ged Kenslea, Communications
Director, +1-323-860-5225, or mobile, +1-323-791-5526, both of AIDS Healthcare
Foundation

Web site: http://www.oprah.com/

Web site: http://www.aidshealth.org/

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