Health
Orlando is preparing for its 7th annual World AIDS Day celebrations. this is the place
Andrés Acosta Ardila cries every time he receives an AIDS memorial quilt at a World AIDS Day ceremony.
Sewn into the quilt's patches are memories of lives lost to HIV in Central Florida.
“The quilts on display represent those of us who have died, and it's truly moving because of the people living with HIV. We understand that it is because of those who have died that we are able to live today.” said co-creator Acosta Ardilla. -Chairman of the Central Florida HIV Planning Council.
He was diagnosed with HIV 11 years ago. Acosta Ardila, like many other Central Floridians, is alive thanks to medical advances.
As such, the council will be celebrating its seventh year once again on Sunday at the Winter Club venue in Winter Park. The council is partnering with Heart of Florida United Way to host the event.
AIDS in Central Florida
World AIDS Day was first observed by the World Health Organization in 1988 to raise awareness and reduce stigma about HIV.
The number of new HIV infections in the United States has declined over the past 12 years, but remains high, with 38,000 new cases of HIV diagnosed in 2022, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. .
Florida's AIDS crisis continues, with Florida having the third-highest number of diagnoses in the nation, behind Texas and California. According to the Ministry of Health, there were 4,600 new HIV infections in the state in 2022.
Central Florida has been particularly hard hit, with 14,000 people living with the virus in Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties, according to AIDSVU, a research group at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health.
There were 460 new cases in Orange County alone last year, according to state data.
But thanks to medical advances, 67% of Floridians diagnosed with HIV are “virally suppressed,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means there is little trace of HIV in your body and you cannot transmit the virus.
Living with and celebrating AID
These advances are needed not only to stop the spread of HIV, but also to eliminate the stigma against it.
Acosta Ardila remembers the sadness and isolation she felt when she was first diagnosed.
“It meant that as a 23-year-old I was no longer sexually attracted to myself. I felt like broken, damaged goods, but at the same time I felt like I had to tell someone about my HIV status. “The burden of disclosure was placed on me, potentially resulting in a felony charge,” he said.
However, advances in medicine changed everything.
“It showed people that we are just like everyone else, like we really have nothing to fear. And that's the message I really want to get across,” Acosta Ardila said.
How to celebrate World AIDS Day
Sunday's event begins at 2 p.m. with a social gathering and refreshments at 2950 Aloma Ave. The gala program begins at 3 p.m.
“Everyone is welcome. We're really excited to make this event a celebration of people living with HIV, because, again, that's what we need.” he said. “For many of us, this is the first space where we can come back into our community and feel celebrated, but also where we feel like we can have a voice.”
Registration for the event can be done at the Central Florida HIV Planning Council. Instagram or Facebook page.
Sources 2/ https://www.cfpublic.org/health/2024-11-28/orlando-prepares-for-7th-world-aids-day-celebration-heres-where The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos
to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]