'Project Runway' Star Lends Design Expertise to the Longest Ongoing Community Art Project at Nation's Largest HIV Gathering

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Mackenroth, from the popular television series "Project Runway," is bringing his national HIV education campaign Living Positive By Design back to the largest AIDS-related gathering in the country this week.  At the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), from September 12-15 in Orlando, Jack is designing a Living Positive By Design panel for submission to the NAMES AIDS Quilt™, the largest ongoing community arts project in the world.  Jack will create the panel with the participation of conference attendees.  Living Positive By Design is a partnership with Merck that seeks to help combat the stigma associated with HIV by engaging people in thoughtful conversation about the disease and encouraging a positive outlook on life.  

"I am honored to be bringing Living Positive By Design to USCA this year and excited to create a piece of living history for the AIDS Quilt.  As a designer, I understand the therapeutic benefit of expression through art, and I hope that the Living Positive By Design panel inspires people to maintain a positive outlook on life," said Jack Mackenroth, who has been living with HIV for more than 20 years.  "The Quilt is a powerful memorial that personalizes the fight against HIV and helps to fight the stigma associated with the disease – which is one of the goals of my partnership with Merck."  

While in Orlando for USCA, Jack will also be meeting with several local AIDS service organizations to discuss his personal story, the Living Positive By Design campaign and the impact of HIV in Florida.  

Since the launch of Living Positive By Design, Jack has visited 11 cities, bringing the campaign's messages to cities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic.  He will continue to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS throughout 2010, reaching 15 cities by December of this year.  In addition to combating the stigma associated with HIV, the campaign also encourages people living with HIV to work with their doctor on an ongoing basis to select a treatment regimen that keeps their viral load at an undetectable level.  For more information on Living Positive By Design, please visit: www.LivingPositiveByDesign.com.

Prevalence of HIV and AIDS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one million Americans are living with HIV and AIDS in the U.S. and more than 56,000 new people become infected every year. Florida has the third highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS cases in the United States, with almost 10,000 cases in Central Florida/Orlando area alone.

About Merck

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SOURCE Living Positive By Design