Malaria Foundation International Announces First Annual Awards to Honor Unsung Heroes and Leaders in Science, Business, Education and Media in the Fight Against Malaria
The Malaria Foundation International (MFI) announces the 2006 Inaugural Malaria Awards. Congratulations to the many individuals and organizations who have made exceptional progress in the fight against malaria. The inaugural awards highlight major achievements and events from 2005.
Atlanta, GA, July 15, 2006 --(PR.com)-- The Malaria Foundation International (MFI) has established the first “Malaria Awards Ceremony” to honor the many extraordinary individuals and organizations that have made and continue to make important contributions in the fight against malaria. In its first year, a main aim has been to create excitement around the idea of publicly celebrating the willingness, dedication and accomplishments of people reaching beyond the call of duty worldwide to help prevent and treat this disease.
Malaria kills at least 3,000 people each day, mostly children, according to the World Health Organization. People everywhere and from many professions are starting to take a stand and stress that this is ethically unacceptable. The daily devastation of our children, one child passing every 30 seconds, must be stopped. Pregnant women living in malarious regions of the world are also particularly vulnerable, with deleterious outcomes including severe anemia, low birth weight babies, stillbirths, or maternal death. Each year, at least 500 million people become clinically sick, according to Professor Robert W. Snow and colleagues, with death being a possible outcome, despite the fact that malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. Almost half of humanity lives at risk of succumbing to malaria, caused by the bite of an infected Anopheline mosquito.
“We need to address the immediate and long term solutions, hand in hand. There are immediate solutions that include indoor residual spraying of insecticides, use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs), and the proper diagnosis and treatment using effective malaria drugs such as artemisinin combination therapy (ACT)”, stressed Dr. Wilbur Milhous, the MFI’s International Board Chairman, and Chief Science Officer of Experimental Therapeutics at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Bethesda, MD, USA. “Yet, we also must encourage increased research and development so that new drugs can be developed and malaria vaccines can be a reality in the future.”
“There are heroes among us,” notes Professor Wen Kilama, Managing Trustee of the African Malaria Network Trust in Tanzania and former Chairman of the MFI’s International Board. “The annual Malaria Awards Ceremony will help their stories reach the masses, and serve to help inspire others to take a stand against malaria. We need to encourage young people, and show them the myriad of ways they can make a difference”
“We simply need many more people fighting malaria, said Lance Laifer, Co-Founder of “Hedge Funds. vs. Malaria”, who suggested the MFI establishes an annual Malaria Awards Ceremony to celebrate and accelerate success in the fight against malaria worldwide. The Malaria Awards Ceremony will help bring to light the many ways people can help and, in essence, how for example economists, teachers, scientists, health workers, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, faith-based organizations and the media play complementary roles in a global team effort.”
“There are many facets to malaria” notes Dr. Mary Galinski, Founder and President of the MFI and a Professor at Emory University’s School of Medicine in Atlanta GA. “This is a terribly complex and widespread disease, persistent in about 100 countries, yet we know how to bring it into control, and we have increasingly advanced knowledge with malaria genome information now available that makes the prospects of developing new malaria drugs and eventual vaccines promising. Today’s leaders who are spearheading the world’s fight against malaria must be recognized and then continue to take the courageous stand “for life” as they inspire others.”
“The Malaria Awards Ceremony is our way to thank the many extraordinary individuals and organizations who have made important contributions in the fight against malaria,” said Dr. Kathryn Nason-Burchenal, Vice President of the Malaria Foundation International. “We have taken a bold step to start this effort, and the welcoming response has been gratifying. We believe this is a powerful means to identify individuals of all ages and nationalities, as well as projects and organizations that are making a difference in the fight against malaria.”
As an annual event, the Malaria Awards Ceremony will spur new creative directions, the involvement of new advocates, and much needed attention on the disease from the public at large. “Malaria fighters deserve the same recognition as that taken for granted by sports figures and entertainers,” says Dr. Galinski. “This will be their day.”
The Malaria Award Ceremony recipients will be posted this weekend at the MFI web site, www.malaria.org. The first annual “MAC” was held in the historic garden of “Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta” an award-winning pediatric hospital. We thank “Childrens” for their compassion for children worldwide, and their recognition of this symbolic inaugural event.
Please direct any specific inquiries with a “Malaria Awards Ceremony” subject heading to:
Dr. Mary R. Galinski, Founder and President, MFI
Head, Malaria Research and Education Programs, Emory University
Email: mary.galinski@emory.edu
Dr. Cindy Korir, Project Coordinator and African Liaison, MFI
Scientist, Malaria Research and Education Programs, Emory University
Email: ckorir@emory.edu
Dr. Kathyn Nason-Burchenal, Vice President, MFI
Email: MalariaAwards@malaria.org
The Malaria Foundation International is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that has been dedicated to the fight against malaria since 1992. The MFI’s goals are to support awareness, education, training, research, and leadership programs for the immediate and long term development and application of tools to combat malaria. The MFI works in partnership with individuals and groups who have joined this cause. Donations to help fight malaria are welcome at the MFI website, www.malaria.org.
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Malaria kills at least 3,000 people each day, mostly children, according to the World Health Organization. People everywhere and from many professions are starting to take a stand and stress that this is ethically unacceptable. The daily devastation of our children, one child passing every 30 seconds, must be stopped. Pregnant women living in malarious regions of the world are also particularly vulnerable, with deleterious outcomes including severe anemia, low birth weight babies, stillbirths, or maternal death. Each year, at least 500 million people become clinically sick, according to Professor Robert W. Snow and colleagues, with death being a possible outcome, despite the fact that malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. Almost half of humanity lives at risk of succumbing to malaria, caused by the bite of an infected Anopheline mosquito.
“We need to address the immediate and long term solutions, hand in hand. There are immediate solutions that include indoor residual spraying of insecticides, use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs), and the proper diagnosis and treatment using effective malaria drugs such as artemisinin combination therapy (ACT)”, stressed Dr. Wilbur Milhous, the MFI’s International Board Chairman, and Chief Science Officer of Experimental Therapeutics at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Bethesda, MD, USA. “Yet, we also must encourage increased research and development so that new drugs can be developed and malaria vaccines can be a reality in the future.”
“There are heroes among us,” notes Professor Wen Kilama, Managing Trustee of the African Malaria Network Trust in Tanzania and former Chairman of the MFI’s International Board. “The annual Malaria Awards Ceremony will help their stories reach the masses, and serve to help inspire others to take a stand against malaria. We need to encourage young people, and show them the myriad of ways they can make a difference”
“We simply need many more people fighting malaria, said Lance Laifer, Co-Founder of “Hedge Funds. vs. Malaria”, who suggested the MFI establishes an annual Malaria Awards Ceremony to celebrate and accelerate success in the fight against malaria worldwide. The Malaria Awards Ceremony will help bring to light the many ways people can help and, in essence, how for example economists, teachers, scientists, health workers, sociologists, anthropologists, historians, faith-based organizations and the media play complementary roles in a global team effort.”
“There are many facets to malaria” notes Dr. Mary Galinski, Founder and President of the MFI and a Professor at Emory University’s School of Medicine in Atlanta GA. “This is a terribly complex and widespread disease, persistent in about 100 countries, yet we know how to bring it into control, and we have increasingly advanced knowledge with malaria genome information now available that makes the prospects of developing new malaria drugs and eventual vaccines promising. Today’s leaders who are spearheading the world’s fight against malaria must be recognized and then continue to take the courageous stand “for life” as they inspire others.”
“The Malaria Awards Ceremony is our way to thank the many extraordinary individuals and organizations who have made important contributions in the fight against malaria,” said Dr. Kathryn Nason-Burchenal, Vice President of the Malaria Foundation International. “We have taken a bold step to start this effort, and the welcoming response has been gratifying. We believe this is a powerful means to identify individuals of all ages and nationalities, as well as projects and organizations that are making a difference in the fight against malaria.”
As an annual event, the Malaria Awards Ceremony will spur new creative directions, the involvement of new advocates, and much needed attention on the disease from the public at large. “Malaria fighters deserve the same recognition as that taken for granted by sports figures and entertainers,” says Dr. Galinski. “This will be their day.”
The Malaria Award Ceremony recipients will be posted this weekend at the MFI web site, www.malaria.org. The first annual “MAC” was held in the historic garden of “Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta” an award-winning pediatric hospital. We thank “Childrens” for their compassion for children worldwide, and their recognition of this symbolic inaugural event.
Please direct any specific inquiries with a “Malaria Awards Ceremony” subject heading to:
Dr. Mary R. Galinski, Founder and President, MFI
Head, Malaria Research and Education Programs, Emory University
Email: mary.galinski@emory.edu
Dr. Cindy Korir, Project Coordinator and African Liaison, MFI
Scientist, Malaria Research and Education Programs, Emory University
Email: ckorir@emory.edu
Dr. Kathyn Nason-Burchenal, Vice President, MFI
Email: MalariaAwards@malaria.org
The Malaria Foundation International is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that has been dedicated to the fight against malaria since 1992. The MFI’s goals are to support awareness, education, training, research, and leadership programs for the immediate and long term development and application of tools to combat malaria. The MFI works in partnership with individuals and groups who have joined this cause. Donations to help fight malaria are welcome at the MFI website, www.malaria.org.
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Contact
Malaria Foundation International
Dr. Mary R. Galinski
770-891-1604
www.malaria.org
Dr. Cindy Korir: ckorir@emory.edu
Dr. Mary R. Galinski
770-891-1604
www.malaria.org
Dr. Cindy Korir: ckorir@emory.edu
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