World AIDS Weekin’
December 5, 2008
World AIDS Week is about to end. And it’s the most wonderful time of the year- there are red ribbons everywhere, discussion about HIV prevention is abound and condoms are always well within reach.
This week, Gwenn and I have spoken at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska, for the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland, at Baldwin-Wallace College and the University of Toledo. Today, Gwenn and I are on our way home, and I’ll share some road stories once I get the photos loaded in…
Plus, the work isn’t quite done yet- next week we speak in Kansas.
As I mentioned, I got another sore throat right before we left, and Gwenn was an angel, doing all the driving. She was guided by “Norman”, our new GPS unit, which I named after Norman Bates from Psycho since it speaks in a feminine voice. Now, as we’re heading home today, Gwenn is starting to feel under the weather as I am making a full recovery.
Her timing is much better than mine.
Hope everyone had as great of a week as I did. It was very inspiring, and a big thanks again to everyone who brought me and Gwenn out to share our message of prevention and education. You are what makes this pre-season, red-ribboned time of year special for us, and we are honored each time we get the opportunity to open another mind as to why sexual health and compassion for those living with HIV are important topics.
Important topics for every season.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
World AIDS Day
December 1, 2008
Today marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Wear a red ribbon, tell someone you have AIDS even if you don’t. Make people aware in any way you can. Be creative!
To think back to the first World AIDS Day, one year after my diagnosis, is a bit trippy… I did everything I could to avoid the topic, plus I had better things to think about. (I was 13- video games and girls.) I’ve been fortunate the last several World AIDS Days. Every year, Gwenn and I go out for at least a week, doing a series of talks, just explaining how our relationship works and what we do to keep Gwenn safe from HIV.
World AIDS Day is needed, and it is vital.
Your local paper may have a listing of an event in your community- think about attending. Even if it’s as simple as buying a cup of coffee at Starbucks (they are donating 5 cents for every drink sold today to the Global Fund). That adds up, and before you knock 5 cents (lots of idiots on Facebook were), multiply that many thousands of times over and be thankful that a corporate giant isn’t afraid to associate itself to the cause.
After twenty years of World AIDS Days, we still have a long way to go. Through dumb luck/unconditional love I’ve been able to survive. My health is good enough that I most definitely have 20 more World AIDS Days left in me, and I will continue to speak out and honor the memory of those we have lost- and will continue to lose- along the way.
Positively Yours,
Shawn
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