WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.,
July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Merck
(NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the
United States and Canada,
today announced that Maria Davis – a
music industry promoter and HIV advocate – and Positive Women's
Network – USA (PWN-USA) – are joining its national HIV education
campaign, I Design. The awareness campaign will help inspire
and motivate women living with HIV to "vocalize" how they are
feeling on their treatment plans, and to work with their healthcare
teams to design treatment plans specific to their individual health
needs.
"As an organization founded to build collective power among
women living with HIV, we are glad to partner with Merck and the
I Design campaign in our shared mission to support women
living with HIV in advocating for our health and rights," said
Naina Khanna, Executive Director of
PWN-USA. "Women living with HIV
have unique needs and face specific challenges that healthcare
providers should take into account when considering treatment and
care plans. Community leaders like Maria
Davis can help underscore the importance for women to
amplify their voices in open, meaningful conversations between them
and their care
providers."
Only four in ten women diagnosed with HIV have the virus under
control; therefore, it's important to support women in having an
open dialogue with their healthcare team regarding their
treatment.
It is estimated that there are more than 275,000 women living
with HIV in the U.S., of which a disproportionate number are
African-American. "As an African-American woman living with HIV, it
is critical for me to make sure my voice is heard in discussions
with my healthcare team and I want to encourage other women living
with HIV to do the same," said Davis. "That is why I am proud to be
part of the I Design campaign and lend my voice to help
mobilize women."
Maria Davis, a music industry
insider who currently produces and directs music showcases for
signed and unsigned artists, was diagnosed with HIV in 1995 after
unknowingly contracting the virus from the man whom she was
planning to marry. She always thought "it could never happen to me"
and has since become a devoted advocate for HIV awareness and
education. Over the years, Maria has leveraged her position in the
entertainment industry to educate the community about HIV by
partnering with organizations such as Lifebeat, Music Fights
HIV/AIDS and BET Rap it Up Community Service, as well as
serving as a keynote speaker for the National Black Leadership
Commission on AIDS, Inc.
Maria joins existing I Design team members Project
Runway All Stars Season One winner and Under the
Gunn star Mondo Guerra, and renowned HIV activist and
acclaimed photographer Duane Cramer,
on the campaign's two-year anniversary.
Getting Involved with I Design
I Design
is a national HIV education campaign led by Merck, that aims to
help empower people living with HIV to work with their healthcare
team to take an active role in designing their treatment plan,
"vocalize" how their treatment is working in discussions with their
healthcare team and "tailor" their HIV treatment plan by
approaching treatment "through their own lens."
To learn more about the campaign, visit www.ProjectIDesign.com
where you can download a conversation checklist, which offers tips
on how to engage in an open and honest dialogue with your doctor;
design a digital textile illustrating your approach to managing
HIV; take a quiz about women and HIV; and view videos and photos.
To help you track and manage your health, there are the "My Health
Matters" and "My Positive Agenda" mobile and desktop apps. These
easy-to-use tools help you track the symptoms of your HIV, set up
reminders to take your medications on time, and keep a record
of when you have taken them, which can serve to prompt you on
important discussion points when you are with your doctor.
About Positive Women's Network – United States of America
Positive
Women's Network – USA
(PWN-USA) is a national membership
body of women living with HIV and their allies that exists to
strengthen the strategic power of all women living with HIV in
the United States.
PWN-USA envisions a world where
women living with HIV can live long, healthy, dignified and
productive lives, free from stigma and discrimination.
PWN-USA's mission is to prepare
and involve all women living with HIV, in all their diversity,
including gender identity and sexual expression, in all levels of
policy and decision-making. Founded in 2008 by 28 diverse
HIV-positive women leaders, PWN-USA develops a leadership pipeline and policy
agenda that applies a gender lens to the domestic HIV epidemic
grounded in social justice and human rights. Every day they seek to
inspire, inform, and mobilize women living with HIV to advocate for
changes that improve their lives and uphold their rights. In
addition to federal advocacy, PWN-USA supports regional chapters to build
leadership at a local and state level. For more information, visit
pwn-usa.org or contact
PositiveWomensNetworkUSA@gmail.com.
Merck's Commitment to HIV
For close to 30 years,
Merck has been at the forefront of the response to the HIV
epidemic, and has helped to make a difference through our proud
legacy of commitment to innovation, collaborating with the
community and expanding global access to medicines. In the United States, we are helping to address
healthcare disparities through educational programs and resources
that align with the National HIV Strategy. Merck is dedicated to
applying our scientific expertise, resources and global reach to
deliver healthcare solutions that support people living with HIV
worldwide.
About Merck
Today's Merck is a global healthcare
leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as
MSD outside the United States and
Canada. Through our prescription
medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and
animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more
than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also
demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare
through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more
information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter,
Facebook and YouTube.
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Contacts:
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SOURCE Merck