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A support group has formed for
people with HIV/AIDS in the Grand Forks region. At a recent gathering, members
spoke about their fears: fear of spreading HIV, fear of catching colds and
other infections due to weakened immune systems, and other people’s fear of
acquiring HIV through casual contact.
“People are fearful that if I touch
them they’ll get sick and die,” said Jerry Makowsky, the East Grand Forks man
who formed the group. “You cannot get this disease through casual contact. You
cannot get it by sitting down for lunch with someone, shaking hands, or sharing
a restroom or a drinking fountain.”
“All kinds of people can contract
HIV, from newborns to grandparents, men and women,” said Roger Ernst, outreach
coordinator for St. Cloud-based Rural AIDS Action Network. They “need support
as much as people who have heart disease or diabetes,” he said.
About the support group, Makowsky
said, “I have it for a reason, and that is to educate people. If I can save a
person’s life, my work is done.”
For more information about the
support group, telephone Makowsky at 218-230-1396.
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!
