Minnesota Lynx Guard Candice Wiggins Partners With Until There's A Cure
Published on June 9, 2008 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Minnesota Lynx News Release
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL - Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins has become the latest celebrity to publicly join in the fight against HIV/AIDS by partnering with Until There's A Cure® (UTAC).
Wiggins is making it her mission to assist in the struggle against HIV/AIDS by becoming the newest spokesperson for the Until There's A Cure® (UTAC), a national organization dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds to combat the pandemic.
Her mission is a personal one, as the daughter of the late Alan Wiggins, the seven-year MLB second baseman and left fielder who played for the San Diego Padres (1981-85) and the Baltimore Orioles (1985-87) who, at age 32, succumbed to complications from AIDS.
"I am so proud to partner with UTAC because raising awareness and finding a cure for the HIV/AIDS virus is my priority," said Wiggins. "I celebrate the memory of my father and his life fuels my energy and drive."
Wiggins, who was selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2008 WNBA Draft, joins an impressive list of celebrities who have endorsed Until There's A Cure, including Jessica Alba, Kevin Bacon, Patricia Arquette, Alan Cumming, Laila Ali, Tara Reid, Mandy Moore, The Rock, Tony Hawk, Jenny McCarthy and many others.
The goal of UTAC is to fund prevention education, care services, and vaccine development using The Bracelet, a tool that serves as a bridge to unite people to fight HIV/AIDS as well as to increase awareness, compassion, understanding, and responsibility.
"The Minnesota Lynx organization is honored to support Candice's efforts to raise awareness and to educate youth about HIV/AIDS through her partnership with Until There's A Cure. We are so proud to have players like Candice as part of the Lynx family who continue to impress many with their dedication to excellence on the court and their desire to make a difference off the court. We encourage fans in Minnesota and fans around the country to support this cause by purchasing bracelets and spreading the word until there is a cure for HIV/AIDS," said Angela Taylor, Lynx Vice President of Business Operations.
The Minnesota Lynx will dedicate their June 10 game against the Connecticut Sun to Wiggins' new partnership with UTAC, with the first 5,000 fans in attendance receiving UTAC's The Bracelet in special Lynx team colors along with a copy of Wiggins' print public service announcement. Wiggins will be featured as the cover athlete on the Lynx gameday program and there will be an in-game feature on the Target Center scoreboard display during a timeout that highlights Wiggins' latest platform.
Various styles of The Bracelet will be on display at the Until There's A Cure booth at the Target Center during Tuesday night's game. Fans in attendance will also have the opportunity to purchase bracelets and enter to win the actual bracelet that Wiggins is wearing in the UTAC print public service announcement by stopping by the booth during the game.
To support Wiggins' outreach efforts, Until There's A Cure has agreed to donate 25 percent of the proceeds from the sale of bracelets that Wiggins generates to the organizations that she will be working with in Minnesota and California. The goal is to raise at least $20,000 through this initiative. To purchase The Bracelet, log on to www.lynxbasketball.com and click on the Wiggins/UTAC link on the homepage.
"Until There's A Cure Foundation is very pleased and proud to have Candice Wiggins and the Minnesota Lynx leading our newest HIV/AIDS awareness efforts. Candice brings an especially poignant and personal story to the cause. With Candice wearing our bracelets and speaking out for HIV/AIDS, we are sure to engage and educate a greater number of people about HIV/AIDS and to increase public awareness of the need for prevention and for the development of a vaccine. We thank Candice and the Lynx organization for their amazing support," said Donna Allen, Board Chair of Until There's A Cure Foundation.
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