Today, December 1st, 2011 is World AIDS Day.
Some of you may not know that I have seen the affects of HIV/AIDS firsthand. When I was in Uganda we devoted a week of our studies to learning about HIV/AIDS. Separating fact from fallacy, learning of the impact in Uganda and how the country was combating it. We concluded our AIDS-oriented week with a visit to an orphanage for children who had been orphaned by AIDS. Many of the children were living with the disease themselves and the manifestation of the evil sickness was apparent in their small little bodies. A handful of children were simply wasting away.
Upon my return to the states, I moved to Philadelphia for the summer to intern with an organization called Philadelphia FIGHT which served as a comprehensive HIV/AIDS services agency. My role was to serve the AIDS Library in whatever capacity was needed. This meant manning the front desk of the country's largest library devoted to HIV/AIDS resources, helping to assemble community presentation literature and aiding in organizing AIDS Education Month events. The majority of the people that were served there were African-American and/or members of the LGBT community.
Two completely demographics. And yet the results were equally as devastating. In Uganda, it's estimated that 1.2 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. 1.2 million is the population of Dallas, Texas. The ninth largest city in the U.S. Imagine 1.2 million children growing up in unstable environments, grieving the loss of their Mommies and Daddies while trying to access food, clean water and possibly battling the disease themselves. It's simply unforgivable.
In the other instance, you have people in the city of Philadelphia who are mostly low-income and unable to cover the wholly expensive medication their treatment requires. You also have people who have been stigmatized as sexually promiscuous and/or drug users. They are literally lepers in modern day society.
There is so much global suffering because of this terrible and life-destroying disease. Will you help?
Visit the (Red) campaign website to learn what they're doing to help eliminate AIDS by 2015.
So glad someone is spreading the word about this important campaign. I just made a square for the on-line quilt. I am a nurse so I have seen some of the effects first hand as well, particularly in children, though only in this country. It is a tragic and preventable situation. It is very inspiring to know we can help make the next generation AIDS-free!
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