Gilead sciences, Inc.
Beyond the Diagnosis
From 2007 – 2011, Cornerstone conducted a large-scale multi-year national partnership with Gilead Sciences to build awareness of HIV treatment options among underserved communities. The focus of this project was on empowering patients to become more assertive in taking charge of their relationships with their health care providers and advocating for quality attention and treatment.
Gilead commissioned Cornerstone to use its community-engaged methodology to create and produce Beyond the Diagnosis, a series of plays aimed at addressing HIV treatment issues in the African-America community.
Over the course of the program Cornerstone worked with hundreds of participants in eleven cities including Los Angeles; Detroit; Fort Lauderdale; Jackson, MS; Baltimore, MD and San Antonio, TX with real and tangible impact on the lives of individuals and community members.
Gilead’s partnership with Cornerstone produced three major outcomes:
Increased awareness of HIV issues and treatment options
Improved Communication about sensitive health topics
Enhanced Collaboration between healthcare professionals and HIV patients
95% of the audience members surveyed indicated they felt motivated by these performances to make positive changes in behavior, like speaking more openly with family members, or getting tested for HIV.
““If I don’t fight this, it’s gonna take me out. So me and God had a conversation. I said, if this is what you want me to do, you have to engulf me in a group of people who will be my support network.””
““We know that people learn best from other people. To learn how to dance, you don’t watch a PowerPoint. Someone has to take your hand.””