Know your status...
Today is December 1st, World AIDS Day, and I just wanted to take moment to acknowledge all those I know who are living with HIV/AIDS, who are working tirelessly to advocate for better treatment, stable housing, community education and working to end the epidemic.
It was also my work with the Delaware HIV Consortium that got me involved in doing an annual AIDS Walk. My first one was in 2007 and for the last 2 years I was a team captain for AIDS Walk Washington. This year however, I was not a team captain, but decided to make it a much more personal endeavor. One of the things that has been on my bucket list for a while now was to run a 5K. If you follow me at all on Facebook, you know that earlier this year I got back into running - running a crazy amount over the summer thanks to the Nike App and a little friendly competition with another otter. I was running so much so that I ended up straining my hamstring, which forced me to take a few months off. But I was able to rest up and committed myself to running the AIDS Walk 5K this year.
While I was in graduate school I volunteered regularly at the Delaware HIV Consortium. It is a nonprofit organization that serves as the coordinating agency on a state-wide community based effort around addressing HIV/AIDS in Delaware. Not only did I volunteer my time on a weekly basis to work the front desk, answer phones and help coordinate some of the fundraising drives, but I spent a year and half serving on the Policy Committee. During my time on the committee we worked on developing a comprehensive strategy to engage the state legislature on the increased need for stable housing to address the intersection of HIV/AIDS and homeless in the state of Delaware. If you didn't know, for someone living with HIV or AIDS stable housing is a key necessity to ensure successful treatment and maintenance of the disease.
It was also my work with the Delaware HIV Consortium that got me involved in doing an annual AIDS Walk. My first one was in 2007 and for the last 2 years I was a team captain for AIDS Walk Washington. This year however, I was not a team captain, but decided to make it a much more personal endeavor. One of the things that has been on my bucket list for a while now was to run a 5K. If you follow me at all on Facebook, you know that earlier this year I got back into running - running a crazy amount over the summer thanks to the Nike App and a little friendly competition with another otter. I was running so much so that I ended up straining my hamstring, which forced me to take a few months off. But I was able to rest up and committed myself to running the AIDS Walk 5K this year.
To me there was no better opportunity to cross off an item on my bucket list, while supporting a cause that is near and dear to me. So at the end of October I put on my layers and met up with two of my great friends from grad school Michelle and Jackie and together they helped me put another check on my bucket list and support Whitman Walker Health in all the work they do to educate, test and serve those living with HIV/AIDS in our community.
So, on this World AIDS Day know your status, get tested.