| NEWS RELEASE |
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Office of External Communications |
Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax; 713/743-8199 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Richard Bonnin |
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Although more than 345,000 children around the world die each year from measles, the disease is preventable. Thanks to a vaccine that costs less than $1, the treatment is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions for preventing deaths. To help spread that message, the Houston Red Cross Chapter’s Youth Services and the University of Houston’s Pre-Med Honor Society are hosting an “Impress to Immunize”student talent competition at 6 p.m., Saturday, April 14 at the Houston Room, 251 University Center. The event will feature students from the University of Houston, Rice University and local high schools. As part of the first Red Cross measles initiative campaign led by youth nationwide, every dollar raised at the competition will vaccinate a child against measles. The audience will decide the winners, who will receive prize packages from local talent agencies. Sponsors include Chipotle, Jamba Juice and Starbucks. In addition to the talent competition, Red Cross volunteers and students from the University of Houston, Rice and more than 20 high schools are raising funds and awareness for the measles initiative on campus throughout April. They are giving presentations, broadcasting announcements, organizing "Wear Red and White for Measles Vaccines" days and selling measles pins. The initiative’s goal is to raise $5,000 and reach 5,000 people in Houston, said Julia Wong of the Houston Red Cross Chapter’s Youth Board. Tickets for the talent competition are $10 at the door. Advance
tickets may be purchased for $5 by calling
For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom. |
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