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The Outreach Community Care Network
held its first event at the John H. Dickerson Community Center in Daytona Beach
on Saturday. An estimated one-third of Volusia County’s 1,300 HIV/AIDS patients
live in the 32114 ZIP code, which includes the Midtown neighborhood where the
meeting took place.
The approximately 100 people who attended
learned about HIV/AIDS issues as well as services available from Outreach, and
were offered free HIV testing. “A lot of people, because of the stigma and
discrimination that goes on with people who have HIV, they’re scared to even
find out if they have it,” said Nicholas Harris, a prevention specialist with
Outreach.
Cue Sampson, an Outreach medical
case worker, was pleased with the turnout but hopes to see more people at next
year’s event. “It’s very important that they get out and understand this disease
is in their community,” she said. She also wants to see middle-school and
high-school students become better educated on the disease.
Wanda Edwards, a community member,
agreed. “We’ve got to keep pumping [the information] to the kids because they’re
the future,” she said.
One HIV-positive Daytona Beach man
spoke about the discrimination he has faced in his own family. “This is the
stigma we have to live with, and there’s no excuse for it, none,” said Gary
Richardson, a member of the Positive Champions Speakers Bureau. “Don’t be
afraid to reach out and touch someone who’s HIV-positive.”
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!
