I haven’t done an event where I’m supposed to raise money before (at least not in my recent recollection). For some reason I felt the urge to have the AIDS walk be my first event. I like encouraging people to give money to good causes but it’s not often I actually ask for money myself (there was IsupportMeera). Here are a few of the reasons I’m encouraged to do the AIDS walk here in Nashville and why I hope you might consider sponsoring me.
I became aware of the AIDS pandemic in the world shortly before college. Seeing the statistics and reading about the lack of resources to address the problem, I grew increasingly interested in helping. It seemed AIDS in the USA had gone from a hot topic and serious concern, to almost off the radar screen of our media. I think this was due to the drugs created that helped inhibit the onset of the virus and helped those with HIV lead fairly healthy lives. But as news in the USA decreased, slowly I was beginning to hear about how quick the virus was spreading overseas. We didn’t respond fast enough. There is quite a charge to deal with AIDS globally, with the much supported ONE campaign lead by, U2 singer, Bono. We need to keep AIDS in the forefront of our minds, we cannot forget our global neighbors.
After moving to Nashville I quickly was made aware of the major change in the state health care program, TennCare. Starting August 1st about 300,000 people where cut off from their health care access and many where seriously reduced in their prescription options. If you know about AIDS treatment at all you know that you NEED to take a number of treatments at once (a cocktail); and you NEED to take them consistently. And if you get sick at all you need to go see a doctor. Well those suffering from AIDS who where cut or reduced from TennCare are in a terrible situation. Joining the AIDS walk will help raise crucial funds for meeting the needs of those with AIDS in Nashville.
Finally, there is a personal note to this. When I was in sixth grade my uncle died. He lived in Texas (we lived in Wisconsin) and at some point he got really sick and my dad flew down to be there with him. He seemed to young and healthy to just get sick and die like that, and for a long time it remained a mystery in my mind (though, I guess my parents told me). I sort of put the clues together as I got older and after graduating high school I asked my dad about Uncle Jiffy. He died from AIDS. I always wish I had been able to know him better. The more stories I hear about him, the more I wish I had the opportunity to know him better while he was alive. I’ve never done anything to really honor my uncle, I’ve never really outwardly acknowledged his dying of AIDS. I love my uncle and I miss him.
This AIDS Walk is in honor of my Uncle Jiffy.