WORLD AIDS DAY

AIDS AWARENESS WEEK

NOVEMBER 27 to DECEMBER 4, 2005

WORLD AIDS DAY

DECEMBER 1, 2005

Buy a RED RIBBON in support of HIV/AIDS this week and wear it.

In fact, buy several.

Or, simply donate your spare change, or more.

The slogan for AIDS AWARENESS WEEK 2005 is:

"HIV/AIDS Let's talk about it"

"Help STOP fear, shame, ignorance, injustice"

In March of 2003 a cousin of mine, a man I loved and cared about very much, and whose memory I will always cherish, died as a result of HIV/AIDS.

He was 32.

He will always be deeply missed; by his partner, by his immediate family, by his extended family, and by his friends.

It's too late for my cousin, but it's not too late for all those men and women out there living with HIV/AIDS. Every year, research comes up with better and better ways to help lengthen the lives of those with HIV/AIDS, to help improve the quality of their lives, and to get closer and closer to the ultimate goal of inoculation and/or cure for the disease.

HIV/AIDS is a disease which infects both heterosexual and homosexual men and women around the world. A disease that is killing children in Africa every day. A disease the human race MUST find a preventive and/or cure for as soon as we possibly can.

Although abstinence from sex outside of a long term committed loving relationship with one partner, and/or use of condoms, and the non-sharing of needles by drug addicts, helps to curtail the spread of HIV/AIDS, much more is needed than that.

What is required, are people working closely with those who have HIV/AIDS, educating, helping, supporting, encouraging them to be positive, and to live healthy and balanced lives, which in turn then contributes towards extending their lives; an inoculation that prevents the disease; and, above all, finding a cure.

In order to achieve all this, HIV/AIDS support and research needs constant funding, and that's where we can help.

So, buy a red ribbon, a red ribbon pin, or a wrist band, and/or give a donation this week, and help support the ongoing support of and research into HIV/AIDS.

Thank you! :o)

Here below are some links of interest:

WORLD AIDS DAY Official Web Site
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations
AIDS Trust of Australia
NAPWA - National Association of people living with HIV/AIDS
Gay Law Net
ACON - The AIDS Council of New South Wales
WAAC - The AIDS Council of WA
VAC/GMCH - Victorian AIDS Council and Gay Men's Health Centre
ACSA - The AIDS Council of South Australia
QuAC - Queensland AIDS Council
AIDS Action Council of ACT
Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council, Inc



In loving memory of
Shaun Jason Power
May his soul rest in peace