Taking Steps to Break Stigma About AIDS/HIV

More than 200 people marched through the streets of Charlottesville Saturday to show support for people living with HIV/AIDS in central Virginia, and to remember those who have lost their lives to the disease. The AIDS/HIV Services Group of Charlottesville (ASG) celebrated its 25th anniversary Saturday with that march.

Connie Chambers lost her son Elwood in 2000 to AIDS when he was 38. "He was sneezing and sneezing and so one day I told him to go to the hospital to get checked. And they did and the doctor diagnosed him with AIDS and he lived about 10 years after," she said.

Cynthia Neff, the president of the ASG board walked on Saturday for a close friend who also lost his battle with the disease. "Gordon was my best friend we spent our 20s and 30s together, though he didn't make it to forty," she said.

Neff, like many others believe the stigma attached to AIDS makes it hard for people to take the step to get tested. "We should all come out into the sunshine and say you know there is such a thing as HIV and AIDS and thousands of people are living with it, and thousands of people are at risk for it and thousands of people are affected by it," she said.

Hannah Green, who works for ASG also recognizes that the stigma has survived after almost 30 years, "Stigma was an issue 25 years ago and stigma is an issue today - so helping the community find the courage to come into our doors has always been a challenge for us."

But she says getting tested is the biggest step. "Just talk about getting tested, get someone to go with you - it can be fun, it doesn't have to be scary," said Green.

She advises people to get regular screenings, "You should know your blood pressure your blood sugar, your cholesterol, your HIV status all of that - standard health care."

Green also wants people to know that there isn't a population that is exempt from the disease, "Everybody is affected by HIV and everybody is at risk for HIV our clients are not one type of people or another type of people… Anyone who is having sex is at risk for HIV. Anyone who will ever have sex is and everyone who has had sex honestly is at risk for HIV, that is the main mode of transmission."

An estimated 450 people in the Charlottesville area are living with HIV/AIDS. According to the Virginia Department of Health, "As of December 31, 2009, there were 22,559 people know to be living with HIV. One in 349 people in Virginia are know to be living with HIV."

Chambers spent 10 years with her son going to doctors visits and says that people just need to become more informed, "We are loosing a lot of our young people to AIDS."

ASG was able to raise $26,000 at Saturday's race, $1,000 more than their goal.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!