Press release: On 24th Anniversary of Ryan White’s Death, Advocates Express Concern Over Elimination of Ryan White Healthcare for Poor Women and Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           

           

On 24^th Anniversary of Ryan White’s Death, Advocates Express Concern Over Elimination of Ryan White Healthcare for Poor Women and Children

Houston, TX – April 8, 2014 – Diagnosed with AIDS at the age of 13 years, Ryan White spent his short life advocating for acceptance and services for people living with HIV/AIDS until his death at the age of 18 years on April 8, 1990. 

A few months after his death, Congress passed a bill providing comprehensive healthcare and services to low-income Americans living with HIV, named the “Ryan White CARE Act” in Ryan’s honor.

Ryan White programs provide primary medical care, prescription drugs, and a variety of supportive services to half a million people each year.

Many are astonished at the recently proposed elimination of Ryan White Part D, which funds family-centered services for women, infants, children, and youth.

In addition to eliminating the program and consolidating it with another (Part C), the President's budget proposes an increase of $4 million to the Part C program in 2015.

“It is NOT acceptable to place HIV+ women and families on the chopping block to save a buck, “ says Morénike Onaiwu, a Part D consumer and social justice advocate.

“Part D services helped me to save my life, and enabled me to be a leader in my community and a healthy mother to my children,” says Evany Turk in a recent press release by Positive Women’s Network –USA expressing concern over the proposal.

Several organizations are hosting “Save Ryan White Part D!” meetings, peaceful rallies, legislative outreach, and virtual campaigns in  various cities and states.

Social media is also being used, including a Change.org petition with nearly 5,000 signatures to date and active Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, and Google+ accounts.

An online protest “#SaveRyanWhitePartD: No HIV+ Women & Children Left Behind!” will occur on 4/10/2014 (National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day).

Contacts:

(Main) Morénike Onaiwu, SaveRyanWhitePartD@gmail.com/281-698-0383

(Houston) Leslie Raneri, EsperanzadelAlma@gmail.com/281-698-0383

(Houston) Sister Mama Sonya, 3sispirit@gmail.com/832-277-1584

(Dallas) Marsha Jones, Marsha@theafiyacenter.org/214-699-7136

(Dallas) J. Raheem Harris, JRHarris.DallasAAG@gmail.com/214-624-4761

(Florida) Janet Kitchen, JanetKitchen1@aol.com/813-857-2974

(National/Policy) Ivy Turnbull, ITurnbull@aids-alliance.org/202-754-1858

(National/Policy) Olivia Ford, OFord.pwnusa@gmail.com/347-553-5174

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