Museum of Health Care Display Supports Buy-A-Net’s Work

Kingston, ON

In support of World Malaria Day, the Museum of Health Care at Kingston’s special historical display described the dangers Canadians once faced from malaria and the misconceptions around its cause. In the early 1800s, malaria was blamed on bad smelling air as found  in swamps and marshes, not on mosquitoes.

Mounted at Buy-A-Net’s 2009 World Malaria Dayevent on 24 April, the Museum’s exhibit “The NET Result: MalariaPrevention in Uganda”explained the details of malarial infection and its transmission. It also informed visitors about current malaria prevention strategies and tools such as bed nets used by healthcare workers in Uganda.

Canada has not been immune to the ravages of malaria. From the early 1800s there aremany reports of Eastern Ontario settlers suffering from the disease. As museum curator Paul Robertson described, “During construction of the Rideau Canal (1826-1831) when hundreds of canal builders and their families moved to the area, many became infected with ‘swamp fever’ during the’sickly season’ in the late summer. At least 500 people died from malaria during that period.”

Paul Robertson, Museum of Health Care at Kingston 

BUY-A-NET Hosts a Day of Commemoration in Kingston

Public Reception, Art Show and Concert Highlight World Malaria Day’s Activities

Kingston, ON

Debra Lefebvre, Founder, BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group (BAN), today announced that The Renaissance Hall, located at 285 Queen Street, will be home to the organization’s day-long recognition of World Malaria Day, on Friday, April 24th.

A public reception will be held from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm that will feature guest speakers including Senator Mobina Jaffer, Mayor Harvey Rosen and members of the “Kids Talking to Kids about Malaria” Team (speakers range in ages from 10 yrs – 13 yrs) that have been speaking at different schools around the Kingston area.  The afternoon will be rounded out by a performance by Kington’s own Dragon Drummer Troupe, a group of 80 youth drummers.  The organization will also pay tribute to the area secondary schools that have taken part in BAN’s inaugural “Spring For Nets” campaign.

Later that evening from 7:00 – 10:00 pm, the public is invited to the official opening of artist Heather Haynes’ new travelling exhibit, “Worlds Collide”.  The exhibit, which will be officially unveiled on Parliament Hill on April 22nd at a reception in honour of BUY-A-NET hosted by The Honourable Peter Milliken, M.P. (Kingston and the Islands), was inspired by Haynes’ recent travels to Uganda with BUY-A-NET. “Worlds Collide”, which is also making stops in Toronto (Envers Chapin Gallery, May), Gananoque (Fire Hall Theatre, June) and Montreal (Avenue Art Gallery, September), will help to raise awareness about malaria and the devastation it leaves in its path in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“It was my distinct pleasure to travel with Heather to Uganda last year,” said Lefebvre.  “I am very pleased that Heather has created this beautiful collection as a poignant memory of her experience.  I think people will be drawn into the paintings and moved by their message.” 

“We toured Ugandan villages for 10 days, handing out treated bed nets, educating people about malaria prevention, checking the status of ‘netted’ villages and learning a lot about the beautiful people of Uganda – and ultimately, learning a lot about ourselves,” said Haynes. “This trip was so inspiring to me that I wanted to celebrate the work that BUY-A-NET does and share my experience with as many people as possible. The best way for me to do this is through my art. It is my hope that this group of 30 paintings will shine a light on the issues of malaria and malaria prevention.”

Immediately following the art opening, local band, My Friend Andy will perform songs off their latest CD “Songs from the Middle”, in the Living Room (the lower level of the Renaissance Hall). Tickets are $6 (the price of a bed net) and are available at the door.  All proceeds go to BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group.

World Malaria Day was established by the World Health Organization in March 2008. This international day helps to raise awareness of malaria, a disease which kills up to 3 million people and affects up to 500 million people annually. It serves as a reminder that as a global community, all people have a responsibility to stop malaria.

BUY-A-NET hosted the first event in Canada in support of World Malaria Day. The event was held in Kingston, on April 25th, 2008.

Malaria is the number one killer of children in Africa, taking the life of one child every thirty seconds. It is a highly preventable, 100% treatable disease that kills more people than HIV/AIDS. It is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and can easily be prevented with the proper use of a $6.00 insecticide-treated bed net.

Launched in 2004, BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group is Canada’s first citizen-driven, charitable organization that seeks to prevent deaths from malaria in Africa, one country at a time. The nation of Uganda was chosen as the first target country of the campaign, whose slogan – 6 Bucks, BUY-A-NET, Save a life – provides advocacy and awareness about malaria, as well as raises much needed funds for the procurement of long-lasting, insecticide treated bed nets and anti-malaria medicine. In partnership with community-based groups, the nets are distributed free of charge, one village at a time. To date, BUY-A-NET has protected over 250,000 people with bed nets. A donation of $6.00 will purchase a long lasting insecticide treated net and for a donation of $350.00, an entire African village can be netted.

For more information contact:
Joanne Langlois
Media Consultant
BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group
613-542-1264 or 613-540-1202
buyanet@buyanet.ca
www.buyanet.ca

To preview the art collection, please visit www.heatherhaynes.com

BUY-A-NET Introduces petition aimed at Google to Recognize World Malaria Day

Today, BUY-A-NET announced the “World Malaria Day” worldwide petition

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/BUYANET/petition.html
urging Google to recognize World Malaria Day, April 25th, on its search engine.

“The world community has made dramatic strides in malaria control, but much more needs to be done to ensure that all of Africa has access to critical and life saving interventions such as bed nets by the end of 2010.

Google is the world’s pre-eminent search engine and is well positioned to raise awareness and the profile of World Malaria Day.

Google has customized their search engine home page for other noteworthy days, such as Earth Day. With this petition, citizens worldwide are calling upon Google to do the same for World Malaria Day.
This international day helps to raise awareness of malaria, a disease which kills one million people, affects up to 500 million people annually, and costs African nations $12 billion each year due to lost productivity and health care costs.
World Malaria Day serves as a reminder that as a global community, all people have a responsibility to stop malaria and save lives. World Malaria Day deserves the same recognition as other days acknowledged by Google.”
said Debra Lefebvre, RN, MPA, Founder, BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group

Please sign the petition!
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/BUYANET/petition.html

Town of Goderich, Ontario

Town of Goderich, Ontario support Buy-A-Net in celebration World Malaria Day by netting a village.

World Malaria Day 2008

WORLD MALARIA DAY was celebrated on April 25th at Kingston’s Memorial Hall in City Hall.

• Senator Hugh Segal paid tribute to BUY-A-NET.
• Dr. June Webber of the Canadian Nurses Association publicly endorsed BUY-A-NET and acknowledged BUY-A-NET’s efforts as a direct mechanism in saving lives from malaria.
• Debra Lefebvre, Founder, BUY-A-NET, noted the success of net distribution in Uganda. Malaria related deaths have been reduced by as high as 95% in recipient villages!
• Over 120,000 lives have been saved in Uganda; over 400 villages have been netted!
• Ugandan Minister of State for Health, Dr. Richard B. Nduhuura, recognized BUY-A-NET as a powerful force in malaria prevention in Uganda.
• We’ve been busy….World Malaria Day has been recognized by Canadian cities coast-to-coast. See our website — www.buyanet.ca for more.

Canadian Nurses Association Endorses BUY-A-NET At World Malaria Day Commemoration

Kingston— The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) has announced its official endorsement of the BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group, today acknowledging the group’s important contribution towards the prevention of malaria-related deaths in Africa, one village at a time. Despite the progression of modern medicine, malaria continues to haunt over 40% of the world’s population, infecting more than 500 million people per year, and killing over 1 million. Malaria is the leading cause of death among children in Africa, taking a child’s life every 30 seconds.

CNA’s endorsement, which coincides with World Malaria Day (April 25th), officially recognizes the efforts of the Kingston-based organization that has worked to provide bed nets and anti-malaria medication to villages in Uganda since its inception in 2004. In Kingston, World Malaria Day will officially be recognized with a commemorative Public Open House on Friday, April 25th, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall housed within Kingston’s City Hall. Lefebvre will be joined by Mayor Harvey Rosen, Senator Hugh Segal, Dr. June Webber of the Canadian Nurses Association, and the Ugandan High Commissioner, H.E. George Abola.

“The Canadian Nurses Association endorses and salutes the contributions of BUY-A-NET as a direct mechanism for the prevention of malaria deaths in Uganda,” said Marlene Smadu, President of CNA. “Canada’s nurses play an important role in strengthening global health and I congratulate the team at BUY-A-NET for their leadership in bringing forward solutions to addressing a deadly disease that affects millions.”

“This endorsement is important on two levels,” noted Debra Lefebvre, Founder of BUY-A-NET. “As a Registered Nurse myself, it is an incredible honour to have the efforts of BUY-A-NET recognized by the Canadian Nurses Association. CNA’s reputation as a leader in global health and equity issues is exemplary and well known. More importantly, I think it acts as official recognition of a very real problem that people on this side of the world can easily do something about with a bed net which costs only $6.00. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that has been allowed to become a global health crisis. Bed nets save lives. It’s so simple. This endorsement is an example of the collaboration that must take place on community, local, national, regional and international levels if this fight is going to be won.”

“This is what World Malaria Day is all about,” continued Lefebvre, “It is a day of determination, optimism and hope because we know that the incidence of malaria related deaths is drastically reduced by as high as 95% with the use of insecticide treated bed nets. It is an opportunity for malaria-free countries to join in the global partnership against malaria. It is a day to make the world care.”

The CNA is the professional voice of nursing in Canada. It is a federation of 11 provincial and territorial professional nursing associations. It has a 30-year history of advancing the nursing profession internationally through a program that focuses on strengthening nursing leadership capacity in resource-poor countries.

BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group is Canada’s first volunteer citizen-driven, charitable organization that seeks to prevent deaths from malaria in Africa one country at a time. The nation of Uganda was chosen as the first target country of the campaign, whose slogan “6 Bucks, BUY-A-NET, Save a life” provides advocacy and awareness about malaria as well as raises much needed funds for the procurement of long-lasting, insecticide treated bed nets and anti-malaria medicine. In partnership with community-based groups, the nets are distributed free of charge, one village at a time. and to-date it has installed approximately 25,000 anti-malaria nets. A donation of $6.00 will purchase a long lasting insecticide treated net, for a donation of $350.00 an entire African village can be netted. Donations can be made to BUY-A-NET through its website, (www.buyanet.ca) or by cheque directly to the organization located out of Kingston, Ontario.

For more information contact:
Debra Lefebvre
Founder
BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group
613-542-1264 or 613-539-2945
P.O. Box 1063, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 4Y5
debra@buyanet.ca
www.buyanet.ca

Canadian’s Embrace World Malaria Day

WORLD MALARIA DAY RECOGNIZED COAST-TO-COAST in CANADA;
BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group hosts Reception

Kingston: Debra Lefebvre, Founder of BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group (BAN), today announced that World Malaria Day (WMD) has been embraced by Canadian municipalities, coast to coast. In Kingston, WMD will officially be recognized with a commemorative Open House on Friday, April 25th, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 PM, in Memorial Hall housed within Kingston’s City Hall.

The reception is aimed at raising awareness about malaria as a global health crisis. Malaria is a largely preventable disease that kills over 3,000 children every day and claims over a million lives a year.

“For the 2nd time in Canada, Kingston will be the location for the event recognizing World Malaria Day. Kingston’s leadership is amazing!“ said Lefebvre. “Many Canadian cities have accepted the challenge by Mayor Rosen to recognize WMD, including Canada’s Capital City of Ottawa! Today we can all grab Canada’s attention to point it to the heart of the problem, and engage the Canadian community to become part of the solution, one village at a time“, added Lefebvre.

Among dignitaries joining Lefebvre at the event will be Mayor Harvey Rosen , Senator Hugh Segal and The Ugandan High Commissioner, H.E. George Abola.. “The fight to rid the world of malaria is a global one. BUY-A-NET has raised the profile of malaria amongst Canadians, and the people of Uganda are very grateful,” says Abola. “Many people are unaware of malaria’s severity and yet about 40% of the world’s population are at risk- over 3 billion people — and the disease claims over one million lives each year; the vast majority of them,“ adds Abola , “are children under the age of five.”

Also speaking at the event will be Honorary Youth Ambassador Marie-Michelle Jobin. A École Secondaire Catholique Marie-Rivier student who has raised hundreds of dollars for BUY-A-NET, Jobin points out that, “Malaria is not just a problem of the third world. In our global village we are interlinked in ways we never thought conceivable a generation ago.” Jobin continues to say that, “as Honorary Youth Ambassador, I hope that I can inspire other young people to think outside the borders of their own town and to help join the fight against Malaria.”

Launched in 2004, BUY-A-NET is Canada’s volunteer-driven, charitable organization that seeks to prevent deaths from Malaria in Africa, one country at a time. The nation of Uganda was chosen as the first target country of the campaign, whose slogan “6 Bucks, BUY-A-NET, Save a life“ provides advocacy and awareness about malaria, as well as raises much-needed funds for the procurement of long-lasting, insecticide treated bed nets and anti-malaria medicine. In partnership with community-based groups, the nets are distributed free of charge, one village at a time. Malaria is the leading cause of death among children in Africa, taking a child’s life every 30 seconds.

Contact
Joanne Langlois
(613) 548-8035 or (613) 540-1202

Debra Lefebvre, Founder
BUY-A-NET Malaria Prevention Group
debra@ buyanet.ca
(613) 542-1264 or (613) 539-2945 (cell)
P.O. Box 1063, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 4Y5

 

Download the Press Release

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