Public ignorance about HIV/AIDS continues to put people at risk, and we commend members of a Denton church for refusing to be silent about the issue.
St. James AME Church, 1107 E. Oak St., is hosting a program from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday to boost understanding and awareness of the virus that can destroy a person’s immune system, making them vulnerable to deadly infections.
Mary Taylor, an event spokeswoman, told us the church is partnering with the Denton County Health Department and the local chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, at the University of North Texas, and other community groups to host this year’s event.
Those who visit the church during the program should find a wealth of information about HIV/AIDS, and that’s a crucial factor in fighting this disease. A diagnosis may not carry the stigma it once did, but many people still refuse to talk about it.
Our silence means that potential victims don’t get sufficient warnings to help them become educated about the virus and avoid behavior that puts them at risk.
The 2011 state surveillance reports show the HIV infection rate in Denton County was highest among young adults, ages 20 to 24, and African-Americans, which is consistent with national trends. Of the estimated 40,000 new HIV infections each year, more than 50 percent occur among African-Americans. The virus is the leading cause of death among young black adults, ages 25 to 44, ahead of heart disease, cancer and homicide.
Locally, many patients with HIV are treated at Health Services of North Texas. CEO Doreen Rue, who has been with the agency for 17 years, told us that the group’s job has changed as treatment has improved.
Today, with the help of antiretroviral therapy drugs, patients are living with the virus for many years, and while a higher survivability rate removes some of the stigma of the disease, Rue said, it also has desensitized people to the risk and impact of the virus.
“We see more women than we used to,” she said. “And the younger group [of patients] is still the fast-growing segment.”
Saturday’s event will include presentations on basic information about HIV along with prevention and treatment information, and experts will be on hand to help those eligible sign up for health insurance.
Dallas-based AIDS Arms, the largest nonprofit HIV/AIDS service organization in North Texas, will conduct free testing.
Church leaders told us that their goal is to one day see a community without HIV/AIDS, and that’s a goal that everyone should share.
It’s also a goal that can be achieved — if we are willing to talk about this disease and work together to provide education and screenings to help prevent its transmission.
It’s time that we erase the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, and we thank the folks at St. James AME Church for leading the way.
