The Miami Herald, Inc.; Thursday, January 2, 1997 Edition: Final Section: Neighbors KE Page: 3 Word Count: 346
Grace Lim , Herald Staff Writer
PWAC Weekly AIDS Update will air from 8 to 9 p.m. Mondays starting Jan. 13 on WLRN-Cable-Tap 36. It aims to give callers straightforward answers about the fatal disease. Cable-TAP is a joint venture of the Dade County Public Schools and Metro-Dade government. "We're going to be hitting on everything from children to Hispanic women to gay community and AIDS to pharmaceuticals," said H. Luke Balboa, producer and host of the show. Balboa is executive director of People with AIDS Coalition of Dade County, an advocacy organization.
Some victims of the AIDS virus wish to remain anonymous to avoid the social stigma often attached to the disease, Balboa said. "Because of that stigma, a lot of people are hesitant to readily access the information because they fear they will be recognized," he said. "There are still a lot of discrimination issues going on with people with AIDS, from housing to employment."
The talk show will give such people not only a voice, but also much-needed answers, said Victor Carlisle, WLRN senior production technician. "The show will better educate people about AIDS and help those who are not getting help from other sources," Carlisle said.
The first show will simply answer the question, "What is AIDS?" Balboa and several medical experts will field questions from callers.
All the shows, except the one airing on Martin Luther King Day, will be broadcast live. The Jan. 20 show, which will be taped, will focus on blacks and the AIDS virus.
Balboa said the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control show that Dade County ranks second behind New York City in the rate of HIV/AIDS infection. "We have a serious situation out here," he said.
With PWAC Weekly, Balboa hopes to "get hard-core, concrete information into the hands of the community so they can make informed decisions about the virus, about the prevention and education and about the treatment."
970102
MH970101
Copyright © 1997 - Miami Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Miami Herald, Permissions, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693 TEL: (305) 376-3719. http://www.herald.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1997. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1997. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .