Arthritis Foundation Presents 'Commitment to a Cure' Awards Gala

Al Pacino and Gary N. Holland, M.D. to Receive Prestigious Jane Wyman
Humanitarian Award at Awards Gala on Saturday, November 14th

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Southern California
Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation will present the 22nd "Commitment to a
Cure" Awards Gala on Saturday, November 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the
Beverly Wilshire hotel. The highlight of the evening will be the presentation
of the Jane Wyman Humanitarian Award to actor Al Pacino and renowned
ophthalmologist Gary N. Holland, M.D.

"The Jane Wyman Humanitarian Award is the highest honor given by the Southern
California Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation," said Mitchell A. Jacobs,
Chair of the Board. "It is presented to individuals who exemplify the
leadership, commitment and dedication to humanitarian causes that Ms. Wyman
herself demonstrated in the fight to find a cure for arthritis and related
diseases." He added, "We congratulate this year's honorees for their
outstanding contributions to our communities. Al Pacino has a history of
charitable giving and we are extremely grateful for his support of our
mission. We are also pleased to recognize Gary N. Holland, M.D., an
international authority on infectious and inflammatory eye diseases including
uveitis, a disease affecting many children with arthritis."

Arthritis is a devastating disease that affects 46 million Americans (1 in 5
adults), including almost 300,000 children. About half of the people affected
are under age 65. Arthritis is the second most prevalent chronic disease among
adults in America, and affects more adults than heart disease, cancer or
diabetes. (1)

In addition to honoring the award recipients, the evening will include a
cocktail reception, dinner, live auction, and entertainment provided by "The
Leading Ladies," a trio of Broadway actresses, all of whom played the part of
Christine in "The Phantom of the Opera." The Ladies sing everything from
Broadway classics to the Beatles, and bring their special blend of harmony,
fun and class to every occasion.

For more information on the "Commitment to a Cure" Awards Gala, please call
Matt Duggan at 323.954.5760 x250 or send an e-mail to mduggan@arthritis.org.

About the two recipients of the 2009 Jane Wyman Humanitarian Award:

Al Pacino, Actor and Director
Al Pacino, actor and director, is an eight-time Academy Award(R) nominee. He
has distinguished himself in more than forty feature films, including movie
classics such as "Serpico," "Dog Day Afternoon," "The Godfather" and "The
Godfather: Part II," and "Scent of a Woman," for which he won an Oscar(R) for
Best Actor. Mr. Pacino also won an Emmy(R) and a Golden Globe for his
portrayal of Roy Cohn in HBO's award-winning adaptation of "Angels in
America." He has garnered numerous industry honors, including awards from the
Independent Feature Project, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the Hollywood
Foreign Press, the American Cinematheque, and the American Film Institute. In
addition to a lifetime of achievement in film and on stage, he recently
directed "Salomaybe," an independent documentary on the personal life of Oscar
Wilde and his play, "Salome."

Gary N. Holland, M.D., Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA; David Geffen School of
Medicine, UCLA
Gary N. Holland, M.D., is Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of the Cornea
and Uveitis Division of the Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School
of Medicine at UCLA. He is also Director of the Ocular Inflammatory Disease
Center at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute. Recently, Dr. Holland was
honored as the first recipient of the Jack H. Skirball Endowed Chair in Ocular
Inflammatory Diseases. He is an international authority on infectious and
inflammatory eye diseases, including uveitis, a disease affecting many
children with arthritis. Dr. Holland is conducting research to gain a better
understanding of the factors that lead to vision loss in children with
uveitis, and has written extensively on this topic. He also serves as a
consultant to pediatric rheumatologists throughout Southern California.

About the Arthritis Foundation

Established in 1948, the Arthritis Foundation is the only national voluntary
organization that works on behalf of people with all forms of arthritis. The
Arthritis Foundation funds research to find cures and improve care, issues
up-to-date information about arthritis and its treatment, and offers exercise
and support groups for those with arthritis. For more information, please call
1.800.954.2873 (CURE) or visit www.arthritis.org.

Contact - Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter

Teri S. Lim, Vice President, Marketing and Communications
323.954.5760 x260
E-mail: tlim@arthritis.org

Media Contact:

Lois Julien
Julien Communications
Ofc. 818.222.6790
Cell: 818.634.0640
E-mail: LoisJulien@roadrunner.com

(1) NCHS Vital & Health Statistics, Series 10, Number 235, December 2007.

SOURCE Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter

Lois Julien, +1-818-222-6790, for Arthritis Foundation; or Teri S. Lim, Vice
President, Marketing and Communications of Arthritis Foundation,
+1-323-954-5760 x260, tlim@arthritis.org