Just recently it was Jimmy V week around the world of college basketball. I think that there are many similarities between what Magic Johnson and Jim Valvano did to bring awareness to their disease.
Magic Johnson started it all when it came to starting funds and bringing awareness to different diseases. He helped bring a movement into sports to support these diseases and create funds to help find a cure. Magic has a special case in which not many people knew a lot about the AIDS virus or HIV. Prior to Magic Johnson contracting the disease it was well thought to be a disease contracted amongst those in the homosexual community and through sharing needles. Although awareness had to come at the cost of Magic contracting the disease I think it definitely helped people realize that it was a serious disease and that anybody could contract it. He went onto a lot of talk shows and did a lot of interviews to let people know about the disease and how it can be contracted. This really helped people understand the disease and this may have been a blessing in disguise to help people understand the disease.
Jim Valvano did something similar when he contracted cancer. Last week was Jimmy V week and prior to one of the games they aired his speech he gave at the ESPY awards just before he died. I live with three other guys and there is rarely a time when we are all quiet and focused on something and his speech did it, for 12 minutes. His message he wanted to send was that something could be done to stop this dreadful disease. That we didn't all have to wait and see the person who contracts it pass away. With awareness and research this disease can be stopped and save the lives of many people. To this day over 15 years later I still get chills listening to his speech and his message. I think it is a video everybody needs to see. His message has brought on funds to raise awareness through his charity The V Foundation. He now has a week and a tournament dedicated to his foundation. Again it was a tragedy that the life of a coaching legend had to be taken, but it has done a lot make people aware and save lives.
Jimmy V speech
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I never thought about the parallels between Jimmy V and Magic Johnson. I know what you mean about the inspirational speech given by Jimmy V. The thing about Magic is that while he was considered a hero for living with AIDs, I think that is primarily in the heterosexual community. Many in the gay community probably felt miffed that it took a heterosexual male to bring attention to the disease that had been killing many in their community before that.
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