Magic Johnson Cancels Medical School Speech

Basketball legend Magic Johnson has canceled his Class Day speech at the Medical School, saying he wants to be with his wife when their first child is born.

Johnson, who stunned the world last fall by announcing he had the AIDS virus, accepted an invitation earlier this year to speak at the school's Class Day ceremonies on June 4.

But Harvard officials said yesterday Johnson couldn't make the date because he wanted to be near his wife, Cookie, who is pregnant.

Johnson offered to speak at the Medical School after the baby is born, officials said.

"On behalf of all of us at Harvard Medical School, we extend Magic and Cookie Johnson our very best," Dr. Edward M. Hundert, association dean of student affairs at the Medical School, said in a statement.

Johnson retired from the Los Angeles Lakers after 12 years when he tested positive for the HIV virus. He has since devoted much of his time to educational efforts to combat the spread of the disease.

He founded the Magic Johnson Foundation and is a member of the National AIDS Commission.

The Medical School's graduating class voted earlier this year to invite Johnson as their first choice speaker. The talk would have been the only one on Johnson's itinerary.

Johnsons would have joined a long list of distinguished physicians and health care professionals who have addressed Medical School graduates.

It is unclear who will replace Johnson as the ceremony's "outside" speaker or when his speech will be rescheduled.

Dr. Lewis First, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Medical School, is still scheduled to be the "inside" speaker at Class Day.