Last week at the 3rd annual DKMS (German Bone Marrow Donor Center in English) gala, Univision announced it would be donating $10 million in PSA support across their three television networks, 64 television stations, 70 radio stations, www.univision.com and Univision Móvil to encourage and recruit more Hispanic bone marrow donors. This effort is part of Univision’s Peabody Award winning “Salud es Vida ¡Entérate!” (Lead a Healthy Life, Get the Facts) campaign. At the star studded event – held in New York City – Rihanna, Mario Cantone, Vera Wang, Betsey Johnson, and Amy Ryan joined forces in the Fight Against Leukemia.
Each year DKMS honors an individual for their commitment to help create awareness about the importance of bone marrow donation. This year’s honoree was Joe Uva, Univision CEO. He received the Mechtild Harf Award for his continued support of DKMS and his ongoing efforts to educate and inform people on how they can help save a life through bone marrow donation.
“I was extremely humbled and honored to receive the prestigious Mechtild Harf Award,” said Uva. “Recognizing the need to inform and engage the Hispanic community in the fight against leukemia, only three out of 10 patients find a match and that ratio is even lower among Hispanics, we felt it was our duty to further extend our commitment to DKMS and partner with them on a multi-platform public service campaign.”
“Joe has used his leadership to help those who would otherwise go unnoticed and has been a tremendous supporter of this effort. Today’s announcement speaks to the unwavering commitment he and Univision have to the fight against cancer and blood disease,” said Katharina Harf, executive vice president, DKMS Americas. “We look forward to working together to promote the bone marrow donor program and grow the number of Hispanics who join the program.”
“Salud es Vida, ¡Entérate!” is a Peabody Award winning cross-platform comprehensive health initiative to educate and heighten awareness of health issues and encourage healthy lifestyles among the U.S. Hispanic community. Since its inception, hundreds of public service announcements and educational vignettes have been produced and broadcast on Univision television stations, Univision Radio, and viewed on Univision Online. Univision Network talent and international celebrities have joined this effort by appearing on national PSA’s and special programs. Univision.com developed the most comprehensive Spanish-language health-related webpage in the U.S., which has become a critical resource for Hispanics.
