Gay River Pride-Shenandoah Style

Posted by Tom Thayer in Community, News      No comments

Jun
30

Looking back on this past weekend’s “River Pride” at River Riders, Harpers Ferry, WV. For their 1st attempt at putting together an ‘Awareness Day’ they did a great job. ARE and a few other agencies set up booths on Sunday June 26. We had very good response with individuals coming by for information or to chat. Just getting the word out about HIV/AIDS is tremendous in correcting the ‘mis-information’ out there.  The event was closed with an awesome Drag Show.  About 9 performers strutted their stuff on stage at River Riders.  

We had heard that rafting event on Saturday, June 25 was a huge success with groups from MD & DC and Virginia having a blast tubing the Shenandoah River. We’d like the thank River Rafters, Maria Mendoza, The Lodge, Hub City Bears and everyone who stopped by to make it a success! Keep the word about about ARE & what we do for our clients and the community with testing & education.

It’s amazing no matter where we go or who we chat with about their stories and struggles.  Each person is unique whether gay, straight, bi, Trans, lesbian or questioning (LGBTQ) 

ARE -Tom

Stigma

Posted by Tom Thayer in Community, News      No comments

Jun
24

With every step forward the country seems to take 2 backwards.  This came to mind with the recent ‘hate’ bashings & HIV scares.  Starting with comedian Tracy Morgans standup routine that if he had a gay son he’d kill him.  Then to find out later his father passed from HIV & he should’ve been more sensitive.  Then to the Southwest Airline pilot who slammed gays & older flight attendents on an open mic.  Then to most recent, Portland Oregon. The city spent over $28,000 because their security cameras caught a man urinating in it. They panicked about HIV or other STI/STD so spent all that money in a panic.  Health officials said the city overreacted even stating animals regularly drop waste without a thought to that. You think! It just goes to show you that EDUCATION & AWARENESS about HIV and general sensitivity is still lacking today.  The misinformation, stigma & hate is still out there.  Our hope is one day, we’ll look back & say ‘why so long?’

ARE featured in The Winchester Star

Posted by Tom Thayer in Community, News      No comments

Jun
22

The local newspaper wrote an article on AIDS after 30 years.  They interviewed our staff and included some great statistics about the disease and the impact it is having on our local community.  Take a minute to visit their site and read it!

http://www.winchesterstar.com/articles/view/aids_at_30

30 YEARS OF HIV/AIDS

Posted by Tom Thayer in News, State      No comments

Jun
17

On June 5, 1981, MMWR published a report of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in five previously healthy young men in Los Angeles, California; two had died. This report later was acknowledged as the first published scientific account of what would become known as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Thirty years after that first report, the most recent estimate is that 33.3 million persons were living with HIV infection worldwide at the end of 2009.

In the United States, CDC estimates that 1,178,350 persons were living with HIV at the end of 2008, with 594,496 having died from AIDS since 1981. At this 30-year mark, efforts are being accelerated under the National HIV/AIDS Strategy of the United States, with goals of reducing the number of persons who become infected with HIV, increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes for persons living with HIV, and reducing HIV-related health disparities.

We also must find innovative approaches to curing HIV/AIDS by eradicating or permanently suppressing the virus in infected people, thereby eliminating the need for lifelong antiretroviral therapy. In this regard, important new research is being undertaken by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations. In addition, a robust research effort is critical to address the malignancies, cardiovascular and metabolic complications, and premature aging associated with long-term HIV disease and/or antiretroviral therapy.

Despite these challenges and the huge burden of this modern-day plague, we now look at the fight against HIV/AIDS – and our chances of prevailing – with considerably more optimism than we previously have felt. With the medical and public health tools now or soon-to-be available, controlling and ending the global HIV/AIDS pandemic are feasible goals. Unfortunately, we are in a difficult situation of considerable global constraints on resources to support this goal. Every effort must be made to efficiently apply existing resources so that proven interventions are delivered in the most cost-effective manner. In addition, public-sector, commercial and philanthropic commitments to HIV/AIDS research and implementation of proven findings must be sustained and strengthened with the investment of additional resources to ensure that HIV treatment and prevention services are universally available to the people who need them, wherever they live.
With a global commitment, we can control and ultimately end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. On this commemoration of the 30-year anniversary, let us recommit ourselves to that goal.