December 1st. AIDS awareness day.

On December 1st, AIDS awareness day is to remind everyone that the world still suffers from this epidemic that is not going away. So many things have to be done about it to get the word out to people. Awareness is very important and even crucial because there are so many out there that do not have the education or resources to obtain a better knowledge about HIV and AIDS. Some basic facts and knowledge from AVERT:

What is AIDS? AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a medical condition. People develop AIDS because HIV has damaged their natural defences against disease. What is HIV? HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV is a virus. Viruses infect the cells that make up the human body and replicate (make new copies of themselves) within those cells. A virus can also damage human cells, which is one of the things that can make a person ill. HIV can be passed from one person to another. Someone can become infected with HIV through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who already has HIV. HIV stands for the 'Human Immunodeficiency Virus'. Someone who is diagnosed as infected with HIV is said to be 'HIV+' or 'HIV positive'. Why is HIV dangerous? The immune system is a group of cells and organs that protect your body by fighting disease. The human immune system usually finds and kills viruses fairly quickly. So if the body's immune system attacks and kills viruses, what's the problem? Different viruses attack different parts of the body - some may attack the skin, others the lungs, and so on. The common cold is caused by a virus. What makes HIV so dangerous is that it attacks the immune system itself - the very thing that would normally get rid of a virus. It particularly attacks a special type of immune system cell known as a CD4 lymphocyte. HIV has a number of tricks that help it to evade the body's defences, including very rapid mutation. This means that once HIV has taken hold, the immune system can never fully get rid of it. There isn't any way to tell just by looking if someone's been infected by HIV. In fact a person infected with HIV may look and feel perfectly well for many years and may not know that they are infected. But as the person's immune system weakens they become increasingly vulnerable to illnesses, many of which they would previously have fought off easily. The only reliable way to tell whether someone has HIV is for them to take a blood test, which can detect infection from a few weeks after the virus first entered the body. (so much more, just go to website)

There are many ways to support World AIDS awareness day. You can test your knowledge about AIDS with an "AIDS challenge" on the AVERT; a national AIDS charity website as well as raise money for the charity. Join the campaign in putting an end to the transmission of AIDS to babies and children. Place a button on your blog, write to your congressman, blog about it, or send out bulletins on your myspace page. Get the word out in every way possible. Another thing is not to forget to wear your red ribbon on December 1st. The red ribbon is a symbol of AIDS awareness and is used internationally. You can easily make your own ribbon out of any type of red material. No purchase necessary! Visit AVERT for all the details on how you can spread AIDS awareness! Peace, love, happiness, and everything that requires helium --