Put that ribbon back on
We are a nation of ribbons.
Sometimes, too soon, we take them off. The first AIDS ribbon worn publicly was on the lapel of actor Jeremy Irons' tuxedo in 1991 at an awards show. But almost 20 years later, AIDS is not gone, though the ribbon has nearly disappeared. We have not solved this problem. Put that ribbon back on. Can you and I find a cure for HIV and AIDS? Maybe we won't be the people to do that. But we can help end HIV and AIDS prejudice. That much, we can do.
A few sobering statistics…
People living with HIV:
- 33 million people living with HIV worldwide
- 30.8 million adults
- 15.5 million women
- 2.0 million children under 15
New HIV cases in 2007:
- 2.7 million total new cases
- 2.3 million adults
- 370,000 children under 15
HIV-related deaths in 2007:
- 2.0 million total deaths
This cannot stand. On this, World AIDS day, here are some things you can do :
- The decision to get tested for HIV is the first step in taking responsibility for your health and the health of those you care about, regardless if you think you may be at risk of infection or not. One out of 250 people have HIV in the United States, with 25% of this population completely unaware of their infection.
- Protect yourself and your partners. People can have HIV for many years without experiencing any symptoms (i.e. feeling or looking sick). During this time, they can still pass the virus on to others without even knowing they have it.
- Learn all you can about HIV transmission and share that knowledge with those around you. Millions remain uneducated about the virus and simply do not know how HIV is transmitted. We must break through the barriers surrounding education about HIV transmission and talk about topics that may be difficult to discuss (i.e., unsafe sex and/or intravenous drug use). Whatever you can do to make people more aware of HIV — to make people give their time, their money, or their minds to the fight against HIV — will help make a difference. Websites that provide up-to-date and scientifically proven information can be found on our HIV/AIDS page, links.
- Support those agencies/groups that address the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV infection and promote greater acceptance of those living with HIV/AIDS.
- Donate to an HIV/AIDS charity. Raising money will help valuable HIV/AIDS work to continue, as well as raising awareness about HIV. Quite simply, helping HIV/AIDS charities saves people’s lives. Together we can work towards an AIDS-free world.
Put that ribbon back on. Fight AIDS, not people with AIDS.
