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CAN Community Health Launches Susan Terry Foundation to Empower Individuals Living with HIV

via Business Wire

The Foundation aims to honor CAN’s visionary Founder and legacy of empathy, service, and commitment to ending the HIV epidemic.

CAN Community Health, the nation’s leading resource in ending epidemics, proudly announces the official launch of the Susan Terry Foundation. The Foundation is a charitable arm dedicated to empowering people affected by HIV to live full lives through community collaboration, addressing social determinations of health, and promoting education and awareness. Named in honor of longtime AIDS advocate Susan Terry, the Foundation reflects her enduring legacy of empathy, service, and commitment to health equity.

“Susan Terry’s name is synonymous with compassion,” said Rishi Patel, PharmD, MBA, president and CEO of CAN Community Health. “This Foundation honors her by helping patients overcome real-life obstacles, because true wellness means meeting people where they are, and being there when they need us.”

Starting in the early 1990s, Susan Terry was a visionary leader in the fight against AIDS in Sarasota at a time when stigma and fear surrounded the epidemic. She boldly stepped forward with Dr. Jeffrey Stahl to establish the Comprehensive Care Center, one of the first clinics dedicated to treating AIDS patients, which then later became Community AIDS Network. Now known as CAN Community Health, Susan Terry’s leadership helped shape CAN’s mission to serve more than 22,000 people annually across Florida and has expanded to include clinics in Arizona, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, with about 13 percent unaware of their status. While the annual number of new HIV infections has been decreasing, there are still more than 31,000 new cases diagnosed each year. In Florida alone, 120,000 people live with HIV and the state ranks third in the rate of newly diagnosed HIV patients.

“The Susan Terry Foundation launched to bring together individuals, corporations and foundations interested in helping to create a future where individuals living with HIV are celebrated for their resilience, embraced without prejudice and empowered to achieve their dreams,” said Ray Carson, executive director of Susan Terry Foundation. "We believe in the power of community and the importance of supporting those who work tirelessly to make a difference."

Susan Terry died in 2009; her passing was a tremendous loss to the community she served. Her legacy lives through the Susan Terry Foundation, ensuring her mission continues. For more information about the Susan Terry Foundation and how to get involved, visit www.susanterryfoundation.org or contact Ray Carson, Executive Director, at 813-300-6555 or email info@susanterryfoundation.org.

About CAN Community Health

CAN Community Health is the nation’s premier resource in ending epidemics with a mission of empowering wellness. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, CAN Community Health operates clinics nationwide across Arizona, Florida, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Since 1991, CAN Community Health has delivered high-quality care to those affected by HIV, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases through outreach, integrated clinical practice, advocacy, education, and research. For more information about CAN Community Health and its services, please visit www.CANCommunityHealth.org.

About Susan Terry Foundation

The Susan Terry Foundation (a 501c3 Charitable organization) was established by CAN Community Health to honor the life and legacy of Susan Terry, a passionate advocate for equitable healthcare access, compassion in service, and community-driven wellness. Rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive, the Foundation advances programs and partnerships that reduce health disparities, promote HIV prevention and care, and support underserved populations across the United States. Through education, innovation, and empowerment, the Susan Terry Foundation is dedicated to ending epidemics and building healthier communities—one person at a time. To learn more, visit www.susanterryfoundation.org.

“Susan Terry’s name is synonymous with compassion. This Foundation honors her by helping patients overcome real-life obstacles, because true wellness means meeting people where they are, and being there when they need us.”

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