Georgia-Pacific Professional Supports CDC in Showcasing History and Health Benefits of Handwashing

A gift from Georgia-Pacific Professional will help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight the health benefits of proper handwashing through a multi-media art exhibition called Watching Hands: Artists Respond to Keeping Well. The exhibition is scheduled to open in September 2011 at the Global Health Odyssey Museum on the campus of CDC's headquarters in Atlanta.

The Watching Hands exhibit is supported through a contribution to the CDC Foundation and will showcase the importance of effective hand hygiene practices through various creative media including vinyl installation, graphic design, video projection, drawing, painting and sculpture. Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness in all settingsfrom homes and workplaces to child care facilities and hospitals.

"CDC's Global Health Odyssey Museum offers unique opportunities to share CDC's work and health messages with the Atlanta community and the thousands of individuals who visit CDC from all over the world," says Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "We are grateful to Georgia-Pacific Professional for helping CDC create this exhibit and promote hand hygiene in this artful, experiential way."

"The CDC shares our commitment to promoting good hygiene and infection control practices and we are extremely honored to partner with them on such an innovative public health campaign," says Bill Sleeper, president of Georgia-Pacific Professional. "By communicating through a powerful medium such as art, we believe strongly that this exhibition will have a profound impact on educating consumers about the importance of proper hand washing to avoid the spread of infectious diseases."

CDC's Global Heath Odyssey Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, features an award-winning lineup of permanent and changing exhibitions designed to educate visitors about CDC, public health and the benefits of disease prevention. The museum also offers high-impact educational programs for students and teachers, collects and preserves CDC's history, and provides access to CDC's history collection for scholars and researchers. The museum is free and open to the public. Learn more at www.cdc.gov/museum.

Established by Congress as an independent, nonprofit organization, the CDC Foundation connects CDC with private-sector organizations and individuals to build public health programs that make our world healthier and safer. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has provided $300 million to support CDC's work, launched more than 500 programs around the world and built a network of individuals and organizations committed to supporting CDC and public health. Learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org.