The Importance of Holding Space for World AIDS Day
December 1 reminds us to pause in recognition of the global health crisis that continues to impact our communities. World AIDS Day has been observed each year on this date since 1988, when it began as a day of remembrance to the many lives lost to AIDS-related complications and to serve as an urgent call to action for research into prevention and treatment options as well as the search for a cure.
Colorado Health Network is proud to join in the tradition of observing World AIDS Day this year. Recently, CHN hosted the Red Ball fashion benefit in support of Coloradans living with HIV. Red Ball raised funds to continue supporting Coloradans living with HIV and ignited awareness about World AIDS Day. CHN provides resources to Coloradans living with and at risk of acquiring HIV, including prevention, and testing services, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), behavioral health care, medical and dental care, insurance navigation, case management, syringe exchange, and housing and nutritional assistance.
CHN has continued meeting the needs of the community throughout the tumultuous 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 pandemic by providing many programs via telehealth and by adapting any necessary in-person services to improve safety for both clients and staff.
The impact of HIV and AIDS was devastating to an entire generation, particularly in the early days before the advent of effective treatment options. Since HIV was first identified, over 35 million people worldwide have died from AIDS-related complications. While a cure for HIV continues to be elusive, incredible strides have been made in treatment and prevention. HIV today is a treatable condition which means effective management can be achieved for many by taking a once-daily pill.
By starting treatment quickly and remaining in care, people with HIV can expect to live full, rich, and healthy lives. We know today that Undetectable=Untransmittable, or U=U: a person with a suppressed, undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting the virus. Finally, the advent of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, means that by taking daily medication individuals without HIV can drastically reduce their risk of acquiring the virus.
World AIDS Day provides the opportunity to celebrate advances in treatment and prevention, even as we remember those we have lost and advocate for more effective strategies to treat HIV, eliminate stigma, and reduce the continued spread of the virus. Today, there are laws to protect people living with HIV, and we understand so much more about the condition. Despite this, each year in the United States, over 3,000 people are diagnosed with HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with the condition.
World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away—there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice, and improve education.
World AIDS Day is an opportunity to show solidarity with people living with HIV and to remember the lives lost to AIDS-related complications worldwide. We invite you to join Colorado Health Network in the fight against HIV by supporting programs and services that Coloradans living with and at risk for acquiring HIV depend on most. You can learn more about Colorado Health Network and the work we do by following us on Facebook, Instagram and heading to https://coloradohealthnetwork.org/ for additional news, updates, and events
