Do you use facebook, myspace, or twitter? I think today many of us belong to social networking sites. Today is World HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and http://www.aids.gov/ is recommending we all bring awareness to the crisis that is the spread of HIV/AIDS by posting the following as our status:
[your name] is facing AIDS for World AIDS day. To find a HIV test site, text your ZIP "KNOWIT" (566948) or visit http://www.hivtest.org/ . Join me and post this to your status today.
It is hard to believe we have been knowingly faced with this epidemic since the early 1980s in this country. Science has gone on to show that AIDS/HIV has been around since at least the early 1940s. 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV. Approximately 56,300 new HIV cases are diagnosed every year in this county. While HIV is not AIDS, it can develop into full blown AIDS over time. There is no cure for either HIV or AIDS. AIDS is fatal.
We as a nation, as a world need to do everything we can to prevent the spread of this disease and to find a cure for those millions and millions already affected. We should be compelled to end the suffering of others and to prevent the suffering of the millions that will follow.
We all know the basics of AIDS/HIV transmission prevention:
1. Do not come into contact with body fluids of another person (blood, semen, vaginal fluids)
2. Do not share "dirty" or "used" needles.
3. Practice universal precautions.
4. Practice safe sex and use a condom EVERY time.
5. Know your HIV status and get tested.
6. Ask your partner to be tested prior to engaging in sexual activity.
While these are just a few guidelines there is so much more information you need to be aware of when it comes to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Please take the time to go to http://www.aids.gov/ and learn the facts. There are several links on the site and it provides a great deal of information.
Each and everyone of us should be concerned about the spread of this disease. How do you think each of us should respond or what could we do?
Thanks for this post Mel! We must put health first in all of our lives so that we make good things happen here for a very long time!!
ReplyDeleteAre any of your students thinking about a game that deals with healthy habits for life? At Sesame Workshop where I used to work, that's a big theme with lots of research and info if you'd like me to provide some.
Sincerely,
David
David Lowenstein
Globaloria WV State Director