Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
Miami Herald - December 1, 2004
Darran Simon, dsimon@herald.com
Community leaders, advocates and others will gather in Broward today to commemorate World Aids Day and to remind everyone that the number of new infections in on the rise.
South Florida will join millions worldwide to honor those who have died, as well as those living with the disease and those working to find a cure.
Roy Simmons, a former Washington Redskin football player living with HIV, will speak at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Free HIV testing also will be available there. Caregivers and those living with the disease will share their experiences in a program called Through Different Eyes.
"It's scary living with the illness and scary providing services to those individuals infected with the disease," said Jean Starkey, World AIDS Day chairwoman. "The end result is usually that someone dies."
Additional events from 4 to 6 p.m. include a memorial service at Las Olas Riverfront in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and at the Broward County Main Library, where a candlelight vigil, performances and art exhibits will mark the day.
The message from experts is: New infections and newly reported cases are rising.
"The disease is growing by leaps and bounds," said Keith Riddle, director of development and public affairs at Broward House.
"Every one of us is called to do everything we can to defeat this disease in our lifetime."
About 850,000 to 950,000 HIV-positive individuals live in the United States, the largest number ever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here and nationwide, experts have seen increases in newly reported HIV cases among black women ages 20 to 39, according to the Broward County Health Department HIV/AIDS Surveillance program, which maintains a database of HIV and AIDS cases for Broward.
Slightly more than 15,000 Broward residents have been diagnosed with AIDS since 1981, the year the program started keeping AIDS cases data, figures show.
Almost 6,000 Broward residents have been diagnosed with HIV in the past seven years, numbers show.
"I want to see it defeated in my lifetime so kids coming along don't have to put up with this," said Riddle, who has been HIV positive for four years.
041201
MH041201
Copyright © 2004 - 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 made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. 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, 2004. 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. .