Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Division Head of Adolescent Medicine Robert Garofalo; AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) Vice President of Operations Tom Menard; and Lambda Legal HIV Project Director Scott Schoettes are among the individuals named to POZ magazine's fourth annual "POZ 100" list.
POZ is a print and online brand for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Garofalo also directs the hospital's Adolescent/Young Adult HIV Program and the Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention through the Lurie Children's Research Center. He is associate professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He has been HIV-positive since 2010.
Menard has held his post at AFC since 2005, overseeing the day-to-day internal functioning of the organization. He has been HIV-positive since 1982.
Schoettes co-chairs the HIV Legal Working Group at the Positive Justice Project and has worked on the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act. He was also involved in the effort to take down the travel and immigration ban against people living with HIV. Schoettes has been HIV-positive since 1999.
Visit www.poz.com/100 to see this year's full list.
Press Release
NEW YORK CITY, November 21, 2013— POZ magazine, an award-winning print and online brand for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, announced the fourth annual POZ 100. This year, POZ asked individuals and organizations to nominate an HIV-positive person in their community who is an unsung hero in the fight against AIDS. For the first time, the list is made up completely of people living with the virus including Rob Garofalo, MD , who is the Division Head of Adolescent Medicine at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Garofalo also directs the hospital's Adolescent/Young Adult HIV Program and the Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention through the Lurie Children's Research Center. He is Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine
Garofalo has personal and professional insight into the importance of raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. At Lurie Children's, he remains dedicated to supporting HIV positive adolescents who, according to the CDC, accounted for 39 percent of all new HIV infections in 2009. He has also pioneered innovative prevention research to combat the high infection rates of young men who have sex with men ( MSM ); a population which the CDC indicates is disproportionately affected by HIV.
Garofalo created a self-sustaining charity called "Fred Says" to support HIV positive patients. "The mission of Fred Says is to ensure that all HIV+ teenagers receive the care and services they need to lead healthy and productive lives," said Garofalo.
"The individuals on this year's list may not consider themselves to be heroes, but we do," said Oriol Gutierrez, POZ's editor-in-chief. "Each person—in his or her own unique way—is taking a brave stand against the virus. They are fighting back," Gutierrez said.
Dr. Garofalo and others spotlighted on this year's POZ 100 will inspire readers with their passion to effect change in the world.
"Because they are living with the virus themselves, these individuals have a unique understanding of what needs to be done and how best to do it," Gutierrez continued. "They know what it's like to be newly diagnosed and how it feels to deal with HIV-related stigma and discrimination. They understand the challenges of accessing care, treatment and support. By sharing their stories, they are not only inspiring others living with the virus but also empowering themselves and the entire HIV community."
Dr. Garofalo and his colleagues are available for interview upon request.
Go to poz.com/100 to see this year's full list.
POZ is an award-winning print and online brand for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Offering unparalleled editorial excellence since 1994, POZ and POZ.com are identified by our readers as their most trusted sources of information about the disease.
POZ is published by Smart + Strong, which publishes health-focused magazines and websites that empower and inspire. In addition to POZ, our award-winning brands include AIDSmeds.com, Real Health magazine and RealHealthMag.com, Tu Salud magazine and TuSaludMag.com, SaneMag.com and HepMag.com .
Lurie Children's is one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country according to U.S.News & World Report. It is the pediatric teaching arm for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
