Los Angeles Times - Friday, October 6, 2000
Aisha Mori

Thousands of people are expected to turn out Oct. 15 for the 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, which will begin and end at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

The AIDS Service Center in Pasadena, one of the beneficiaries of the event, will enter a staff team to show its support--both personal and professional.

"I'm walking for my uncle and all the clients I've had who have passed away," said Arlene de la Paz, a nurse case manager at the center.

"My uncle passed away in his early 30s and nobody in the family knew [that he had AIDS] until a few days before he died. My grandmother, to this day, still doesn't know. They just said it was cancer."

De la Paz's first patient at a home health care agency was a woman with acquired immune deficiency syndrome who had set up a mini-hospital in her apartment.

De la Paz, 32, took care of the woman every day for seven months until she developed dementia and didn't recognize her.

De la Paz said her stepfather's family participates in the walkathon every year, but this will be her first time.

The Pasadena resident used to walk in the AIDS Service Center's annual posada until it was discontinued.

She thinks the public has become too complacent about AIDS, a progressive weakening of the immune system that makes a person vulnerable to life-threatening infections. It is caused by infection with HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus.

"The media isn't putting a lot of hype into it anymore because it's more concerned about breast cancer since so many high-profile people have that," she said.

Beth Powers, a development communications assistant at the AIDS Service Center, also will be taking part in the walkathon for the first time.

The 28-year-old South Pasadena resident remembers hearing about AIDS in junior high school and being shocked.

She said everyone takes risks but wants people, especially fearless young people, to realize that "one stupid risk" can cost your life.

Powers met people living with the disease when she was in college and since then has had at least one friend who is dealing with it.

"I don't want them to be forgotten," she said. "They should be treated with the same respect as cancer patients. [AIDS] doesn't pay attention to your sexuality. It's a disease."

Powers said events such as the walkathon represent people actively and point out that there still is no cure and that something needs to be done.

Jorge Sandoval knows what it's like to be on the "other side."

The 33-year-old Sherman Oaks resident tested positive for HIV in 1992, but it took him almost three years to recover from the initial shock and denial.

Sandoval turned to street drugs and alcohol to relieve the emotional pain.

"I had no kind of hope at that time, especially since a friend of mine was dying, going blind and couldn't hear," he said.

"I thought that would be me. It seemed like I'd been under a dark cloud for an eternity and I had to make a change or die. It's so amazing how many turns my life has taken for the better."

After coming out of a deep depression, Sandoval started informing himself about his condition and decided to participate in clinical drug trials.

Sandoval, who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995, is now a treatment advocate at the Pasadena service center. He helps clients make informed decisions and provides referrals to alternative treatment.

He said he gets a lot of energy and courage from his clients, who are suffering more than he has.

Sandoval, who downs 22 pills a day, estimates that his care and medication costs $11,000 per year. He said he's lucky to have insurance to help pay his medical bills.

Sandoval said he hasn't had many complications, but once "wasted" down to 110 pounds because he couldn't eat or sleep. He is now at a comfortable 160 pounds.

This will be Sandoval's first walk, but he recently rode a bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the California AIDS Ride, for which he raised $3,000 out of the total $11 million. He isn't just walking or riding for himself, but also for the people who can't afford treatment and for the 12 friends he has lost to AIDS.

"It may not affect some people directly, but if it affects the community, it ends up affecting me in some kind of way," Sandoval said.

"It affects every group of people. It's called human immunodeficiency virus because if we're human, we're at risk."

AIDS Walk Los Angeles, the world's first AIDS walkathon, began in 1985 and has raised more than $37 million.

The first walk had 4,500 participants and raised $673,000. Last year's walk had 26,000 participants and raised $2.7 million. Almost 80 cents of every dollar raised helps fund AIDS services.

This year, about 27,000 people are expected to participate in the 10K (6.2-mile) event.

The walk supports AIDS Project Los Angeles services, including the Necessities of Life Food Bank, buddy programs, legal services, mental health services, work services programs, home health case management and transportation services.

A portion of the proceeds also benefit other AIDS organizations, including the Pasadena service center.

"There's so much energy at these things and suddenly it's not about me, it's about others," said Sandoval, who has committed $100 so far and is striving for at least $1,000. "You're giving away so little to get so much."

IF YOU GO

* WHAT: 16th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles, a 10K fund-raising walkathon

* WHEN: Oct. 15

* WHERE: Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood

* SCHEDULE: 8:30 a.m., sign-in begins and turn in pledges; 9 a.m., entertainment and warmup; 9:30 a.m., opening ceremony; 10 a.m. walk begins; concludes with food and entertainment

* WHAT ELSE: Volunteers are needed to help with preparation and setup. Call (323) 466-9255 and ask for Austyn, or send an e-mail to the volunteer office at austynb@aidswalk.net .

* INFORMATION: Aids Project Los Angeles may be reached from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays at (323) 993-1600. For information on the walk, check http://www.aidswalk.net .

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