San Antonio Spurs Join With Mayor Castro, Local Health Department and AIDS Organizations to Mobilize Fans to be ‘Greater Than AIDS’

Today at the AT&T Center, the San Antonio Spurs join with Mayor Julian Castro, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, the Bexar County Department of Community Resources, and HIV210.org to get out information about HIV/AIDS and reduce stigma surrounding the disease.  The special SAN ANTONIO>AIDS game night is organized as part of a national partnership between NBA Cares and Greater Than AIDS, a national movement to respond to AIDS in America.

In addition to in-arena messaging throughout the March 9th Spurs game against the Detroit Pistons, Mayor Castro will address the crowd during halftime to introduce a NBA/Greater Than AIDS public service message featuring NBA All Stars Pau Gasol, Al Horford and Russell Westbrook and WNBA player Candice Wiggins, whose father died of AIDS.  The Spurs are also working with Greater Than AIDS and local San Antonio organizations to organize a private Player Appearance with Spurs legend George “The Iceman” Gervin.

“I’m so pleased that the NBA and the Spurs have made such a strong commitment in the fight against AIDS.  Their leadership will make a real difference in helping our community prevent the spread of this growing epidemic,” said San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

Staff and volunteers from leading San Antonio organizations — San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, Bexar County Department of Community Resources, and HIV210.org — will also be on-hand at the AT&T Center to distribute custom informational materials that connect fans with local services.  All materials distributed to fans at the game feature these local resources.

“The San Antonio is Greater than AIDS Game is an initiative that will help bring much needed attention to the effects that this devastating disease has had on so many people and their families,” said Charles Pruski, interim deputy director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

More than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS today — more than at any time in the 30-year history of the epidemic.  According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five of those who are positive does not know it.  Early diagnosis and treatment are known to improve the lives of those living with the disease.  Stigma also remains a major barrier to stemming the spread of HIV.  The San Antonio area remains disproportionately impacted, with higher than national prevalence rates in San Antonio.

For more information about the Greater Than AIDS/NBA partnership, go to:  http://www.greaterthan.org/nba.

 

Share

About Gay Today

Editor of Gay Today