The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), in collaboration with the Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM) and sanofi
pasteur (the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group), today announced the launch of Vaccines for Teens, a national multimedia campaign designed to educate teens and their parents about the importance of vaccination against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases.
Vaccines for Teens tipped off today at an event at Cordova Primary School in Phoenix, Arizona with Grant Hill, a seven-time NBA All-Star and member of the Phoenix Suns, who will serve as a spokesperson for the campaign. Hill, who will appear in the nationally broadcast public service announcement (PSA), was on hand for a special screening of the initiative’s first PSA. The PSA will debut nationally during the Friday, February 27 broadcast of the Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic game on ESPN at 7:00 pm EST.
Along with the PSA featuring Hill, a version featuring Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie will also air nationally while Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton and NBA Legend and Hall of Famer George Gervin will appear in PSAs that will be distributed in Detroit and San Antonio areas respectively.
“Just like on the basketball court, when it comes to protecting teen health, the best offense is a good defense,” said Grant Hill, national Vaccines for Teens spokesperson and Phoenix Suns guard. “Vaccination is an easy way to help teens grow into healthy adults, so our hope is that parents will speak with their child’s health-care provider about immunization.”
Teens are at risk for meningococcal disease, influenza, and whooping cough, which can spread from person to person during everyday activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other leading medical groups recommend vaccination for preteens and teens against all three of these diseases.
Vaccines for Teens will roll out a series of additional initiatives as part of the campaign, including educational materials distributed through the league’s Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program, and a newly launched Web site, www.vaccinesforteens.net, to educate teens and their parents and encourage them to discuss immunization with their health care providers.
Meningococcal Disease / Meningococcal Meningitis
Meningococcal disease, including meningococcal meningitis, is a very serious disease that strikes between 1,000 to 2,600 people each year in the U.S., and can progress very quickly. The CDC recommends that all preteens and teens receive one meningococcal vaccine shot at 11 through 18 years of age.