"Hedge
Funds vs. Malaria" Business Leadership Conference
in Partnership with the Malaria Foundation International
to be Hosted by Emory University in Atlanta, Ga
VideoWebcast
PRESS
RELEASE 29 Nov. 2005, Atlanta,
Ga - The Hedge Fund community is proud to announce the confirmed date
(6 December 2005) and preliminary program for the First Annual Atlanta "Hedge
Funds vs. Malaria" Business Leadership Conference in partnership with
the Malaria Foundation International. With a sense of urgency, given the enormous global toll malaria has
on communities worldwide (over 500 million estimated cases annually and
several million deaths each year), this awareness raising and fundraising
conference has been scheduled a mere month after the first galvanizing inaugural
"Hedge Funds vs. Malaria" event held 20 September 2005 at the
New York Marriott Marquis. The
New York event was attended by over two hundred people and marked the First
Annual New York "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria" Leadership Conference.
Adopting
a similar template, the Atlanta conference will be held on Tuesday, 6 December
from 3-7pm, at Emory University's Law School. The conference will bring together a distinguished group of
business, medical, advocacy, and theological leaders to present their insights
on Africa, business, leadership, and malaria. Guest speakers will be hosted and introduced by leaders of
the Hedge Fund community, including Mr. Lance Laifer, one of the co-founders
of the "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria" concept. A main aim is to engender an unprecedented interest in this disease,
which ravishes millions, yet by and large goes unnoticed.
While attention
on malaria has been growing in recent years, it is simply not enough. "Malaria needs to stand out on its own.", says Lance Laifer. "It cannot simply be subsumed under the umbrella of Global Health
or Poverty."
This sentiment
rings true for the Malaria Foundation International (MFI), a grass roots
organization founded in 1992 by Dr. Mary R. Galinski, who continues to lead
the organization and conduct malaria research as a member of the faculty
at Emory University's School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga.
"We
and others have been raising awareness and support to fight malaria, but
we now need to escalate and expedite our efforts", Dr. Galinski said. "The Hedge Fund community has the
means to help make this happen, bringing superb business, investing, and
marketing skills. We have welcomed
the opportunity to step up to the plate as partners with the Hedge Fund
community and ask others to similarly join us in this fight."
The Malaria
Foundation International's mission is to facilitate the development and
implementation of solutions to the health, economic and social problems
caused by malaria. The Foundation'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 established the first malaria website at www.malaria.org in 1995 and the first major global media attention on malaria in 1997. The
organization has worked in partnership with many individuals and groups
who have since joined this cause.
Malaria can be beat. Currently
available tools used to fight this mosquito borne disease include malaria
drugs such as artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), insecticide treated
nets (ITNs), and insecticide sprays such as DDT. These tools can be used
immediately to reduce or eliminate malaria in communities, while new and
improved methods are being devised through ongoing critically needed malaria
research, development, and implementation efforts. The Malaria Foundation International is a member of the Malaria R&D
Alliance, which is helping to promote research side by side with active
control programs.
Funds totaling
over $200,000 raised at the inaugural "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria"
conference are being used to establish Malaria Free Zones (MFZ's) - pilot
projects in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. The "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria"
plans entail the proper combination of current methods, with professional
monitoring and oversight, and with sustainability being a goal. "We
believe that malaria represents the tipping point social issue for Africa.
We believe that an African child's life is worth protecting with the same
vigor, intensity, and passion we summon up to fight wars and elect presidents
(or cheer for our favorite college and pro sports teams), " says Mr.
Laifer.
Funds raised
at the Atlanta conference will support Malaria Foundation International
projects aimed at heightening awareness to an unprecedented level and expanding
the number of people involved in raising funds and working to tackle this
disease. The projects will involve professionals from all walks of
life, as well as engage student leaders in the U.S. working in partnership
with African students. A goal of the conference will also be to involve large U.S.
corporations in the logistical planning of the fight against malaria. The Atlanta conference will immediately
lead to the announcement and planning of a subsequent "Hedge Funds
vs. Malaria" conference. Before
long, everyone in the United States will know that malaria is an ongoing
disaster that can no longer be ignored.
The MFI's
awareness-raising vision and projects are entirely consistent with the "Hedge
Funds vs. Malaria" aim to involve a broad number of individuals, thus
making the two groups natural partners. The MFI brings its long-standing networks and knowledge on
malaria to bear, and the "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria" leaders bring
their special business approaches and capabilities.
The Atlanta
conference will mark the first "Hedge Funds vs. Malaria" conference
to be held at a University. Emory University is hosting this event with
the support of the University's President James Wagner. "We are pleased
to host this event which will engage new leadres to help make malaria a
disease of the past", said President Wagner. "Disease research
and outreach initiatives are in line with Emory's strategic plan and commitment
to global health concerns."
Between
one to three million children worldwide die from malaria each year (more
than AIDS and cancer combined) even though malaria is a completely preventable
disease. Pregnant women and non-immune individuals
are also especially vulnerable. Non-immune individuals, if not treated
with effective medications, can succumb to the disease in a matter of days
from the time of first symptoms, which include chills, fever, nausea and
headache.
Malaria,
earth's largest killer ever, is the worst positioned and marketed disease
in world history. Over 95%
of the people surveyed about malaria were unaware that millions of children
are dying from malaria. There
is no malaria lobby in Washington. There is no organized malaria PR effort. There are few relevant charitable efforts
focused exclusively on malaria. There
are few malaria education efforts in the United States. Governmental spending on malaria control
initiatives worldwide is difficult to audit. These problems are exacerbated by the fact that malaria is
normally subsumed under the overall banner of world poverty and global health.
Hundreds of volunteers are needed to help lead the effort to raise awareness
of the malaria emergency that is currently taking place, especially in Africa
(It is estimated that 90% of malaria deaths worldwide occur in Africa and
that 90% of malaria deaths occur in children under the age of five). We are encouraging everyone interested
in volunteering to contact us at vs.malaria@gmail.com
Please also follow developments and opportunities for your participation
by accessing information being posted regularly at www.malaria.org.
The preliminary
program and registration information for the Atlanta "Hedge Funds vs.
Malaria" Business Leadership Conference can be found at the MFI's home
page.
The MFI
is the first 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to malaria. The MFI has proven itself as an organization with a neutral,
international, respected reputation for "taking a stand", "getting
things done", and "being there for the long haul".
For
more information contact:
Mr. Lance Laifer, Co-founder of Hedge Funds vs. Malaria
Email: vs.malaria@gmail.com
Dr.
Kathryn Burchenal, Vice President, Malaria Foundation International
Email: HedgeFunds@malaria.org
