WALTHAM, Mass., July 15, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Alere Inc. has put a call out to artists, healthcare professionals and individuals who have either been diagnosed with or affected by HIV/AIDS to create designs that represent their strength in the fight to prevent, manage and one day find a cure for the virus. The campaign, Make (+) More Positive™, will officially launch on July 17th, the first day of the International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference taking place in Rome. Several artists will be onsite, creating artwork that demonstrates the strength of the global positive community and that articulates this community's vision for a bright future.
These artists include Claudio Bonuglia from Italy, Michelle Rogers from Ireland, Pete Wyman and David King, both from the United States. Their work will be showcased on buttons, t-shirts and posters at the conference. Their designs, and those of other artists, will also be featured online at www.morepositive.com and Facebook.com/MorePositive. Anyone, though, who has been affected by HIV/AIDS is invited to participate in Make (+) More Positive and submit their artwork to morepositive.com. Some early submissions have included flights of doves, colorful geometric designs and powerful collages constructed from multiple images and (+) signs.
Diagnosed with HIV in 1994, Pete Wyman, one of the artists selected to create a plus-inspired work at the IAS Conference, says, "As an artist, I often include letters and symbols in my work – a (+) sign will be an inspiration! Being HIV-positive, while probably not the road I would have chosen, has opened my eyes and some doors to what it is that I want my life to be about. I see my HIV status, I suppose, the same way many diabetics or heart patients view their conditions – a fact of life that has not limited my opportunities or the joys life has afforded me."
Thirty million people have died from HIV/AIDS, and it continues to spread at a rate of 7,000 people per day globally. What most people do not know is that, over the years, innovation in healthcare has made it possible to manage the virus. With the right tools, care and education, people diagnosed are able to live full, healthy and active lives. Make (+) More Positive is designed to connect people around the world who have been affected by HIV/AIDS and demonstrate that, with today's advances in healthcare, living positively is a reality.
Alere makes positive more positive by screening for HIV/AIDS quickly and accurately at the point-of-care, as well as providing the necessary tools to ensure proper treatment, monitoring and management. Every day, the company's tests and services help reduce the spread of the virus, empower individuals to live long, healthy lives, and give everyone just one more reason to be positive.
"I no longer see HIV as a lethal virus. Advances in prevention, monitoring and treatment have turned it into a chronic illness, so that I, and others with HIV, can live a full and happy life," says Paul Hempel, a senior vice president at Alere, who is also HIV-positive. "I can plan for my future over the long-term and go about fulfilling my dreams, which is something I couldn't imagine doing a few years ago."
"There have been so many amazing developments in controlling the physical effects of HIV, but not nearly as much has been done about the emotional effects. I hope this campaign can help reduce the stigma that's attached to people living with the virus," says Jonathan Helfman, creative director at Exit10, the communications company that is working with Alere on the campaign.
Alere's HIV/AIDS products include the Alere Determine™ HIV 1/2 Ag/Ab Combo tests, which can help identify HIV just days after infection, and the Alere CD4 Analyzer, which gives healthcare practitioners around the world access to rapid, absolute CD4 results, enables them to initiate antiretroviral therapy where appropriate, and allows them to regularly monitor those on therapy.
Prior to the use of onsite products like the CD4 Analyzer, healthcare providers in resource-poor countries spent days driving to remote locations, administering blood tests, transporting samples to labs for analysis and tracking down patients to initiate or alter therapy. Now, results are available in less than 20 minutes, and therapy can be started or altered in the same visit.
"Thirty years after the discovery of the virus, we have made so much progress on the treatment and the prevention of the disease," says Hempel. "Today, we have more means than ever to make positive more positive."
Alere product availability varies by region.
About Alere
By developing new capabilities in near-patient diagnosis, monitoring and health management, Alere enables individuals to take charge of improving their health and quality of life at home. Alere's global leading products and services, as well as its new product development efforts, focus on cardiology, women's health, infectious disease, oncology and toxicology. Alere is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information regarding Alere please visit www.alere.com.
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| [Image] | More Positive "Positive Yield" |
| [Image] | More Positive "Ribbons" |
| [Image] | More Positive "RIngs" |