Thought for the Week
Encouraging and engaging discussion, debate and discourse.
World AIDS Day
1st December is World AIDS Day. A day for raising cash and awareness for people living with HIV and AIDS. The Terence Higgins Trust was set up in the name of one of Britain's first AIDS victims. Terry died in 1982 when the disease was new and not understood by science. People thought only gay men could contract the disease and it was originally called GRID or Gay Related Immune Deficiency. It was renamed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome after being found in heterosexual women. By the mid 1980's HIV was in 51 countries in the world and had become an epidemic in drug injecting people through the use of shared needles. Today treatments and medications allow many people to live normal lives whilst having HIV. There are over 33 million people living with HIV or AIDS in the world; even though we know about its existence and how to prevent it spreading it still is.
Wider knowledge about the disease and the involvement of high profile celebrities has increased people's awareness of both HIV and AIDS over the past 30 years.
Hollywood legend Rock Hudson
Leading man and acting 'giant' Rock Hudson was one of the first celebrities to day from an AIDS related illness in 1985.
Gia Carangi
Considered one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi became a superstar of the fashion world in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Gia died of an AIDS related illness at just 26 years old.
Paige Rawl
Paige was born with HIV after contracting it from her mother. Watch the video about her journey below.
Is it responsible for parents who know they are HIV positive to have a child? Watch the clip below. Did it influence your opinion?
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