World AIDS Day

On Monday, people around the globe will recognize World AIDS Day.

The day – Dec. 1 of each year – was created in 1988 to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome – AIDS – is the final stage of HIV infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 33 million people are living with HIV globally, with nearly 7,500 new infections occurring each day. In the United States, 1.1 million people are living with HIV.

Notice I said “living,” not dying.

There is hope ... but like so many causes, we seem to wait until one hits close to home to put our full attention and support into it. So it may take a friend or family member to suffer and/or die before you pay attention. But why wait until then?

Let Dec. 1 be the day you educate yourself about the realities of this epidemic. Then use the next 364 to educate others.