World AIDS Day
Because this blog comes out on Friday, I wasn’t able to write about World AIDS Day on the actual day, which was yesterday. But fighting AIDS isn’t a one day event. This is the 30th year since AIDS was discovered. According to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 34 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, two million of which are children.
Some of the organizations that fight AIDS on a daily basis are:AIDS United
America Social Health Association
Avert
Bailey House
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation
Keep A Child Alive
Project Hope
The theme for World AIDS Day this year is 'Getting to Zero.' That stands for zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. If you want to be a part of doing that, you can do something tangible by donating to the 2015 AIDS quilt. It includes more than 94,000 names of people who have donated and created a panel for the largest ongoing community art project in the world.
As an added benefit, you will get to download one of six Christmas songs created by The Killers for donating. The goal of the quilt is to provide treatment to the millions more who need it, drastically reduce new infections, and virtually end the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies by 2015. Another easy way to support foundations that fight AIDS is to buy products through RED. From Apple Ipad covers to red canvas Chuck Taylor Converse shoes, you can purchase items for which a percentage goes to the global fund to eliminate AIDS.
For more of a challenge, people in Chicago, Houston, D.C. and Los Angeles can train to do an endurance event and raise funds while they do as part of the Team to End Aids.
You can also do the Avert AIDS Challenge on Facebook and share how you did with your friends. You will learn some things about AIDS and encourage others to do the same. Whatever you feel about AIDS, it is a devastating disease and the more we know about it, the better we can take steps to prevent its transmission.
Hi Anne,
ReplyDeleteDid you know that between 100 and 200 American children are born HIV positive each year, and thousands more under the age of 24 are living with this disease?
On the heels of World Aids Day, we encourage you to share Paige Rawl's harrowing story of growing up HIV positive, while educating her peers, and just trying to fit in.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/growing-up-with-hiv.aspx
You might also consider sharing this 'HIV/AIDS 2012 by the Numbers' infogram.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/1130/hiv-aids-by-the-numbers.aspx
If you decide to post either piece of content on blog.annesanders.net, we would happily give you a Follow Friday shout out to our 100,000+ Twitter followers.
Let me know!
All the best,
Blaine
Blaine Shranka
Outreach Director
Everyday Health
blaine@everydayhealth.com
345 Hudson Street, 16th Floor
New York, New York 10014
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