SARASOTA – Today is the 30th annual Worlds AIDS Day. Helping to replace stigma with science, members of the Suncoast community walked to raise awareness.
More than 50 people laced up their sneakers for the annual AIDS walk at JD Hamel Park.
“I think what we need to do is open up the conversation,” said Alix Redmonde with CAN Community Health.
CAN Community Health sponsored the event bringing several guests to raise awareness of HIV. SNN’s Chief Meteorologist Justin Mosley was one of the key speakers.
“Stigma is biggest reason that people don’t seek medical care,” said Remonde.
According to CAN Community Health people around the age of 13-24 are the fastest growing population in new HIV transmissions.
For Debbie Sergi-Laws this walk is personal. She’s been living with HIV for the past 30 years and lost a close friend to the disease.
“Doug is a very, very good friend of mine that we lost over ten years ago,” said Sergi-Laws. “So I have proceeded to continue his memory of the AIDS walk and what it means to me, which is support for those of us living with HIV.”
Walking over the Ringling Bridge, participants are supported by their community. Free HIV testing was provided at the finish encouraging everyone to get tested.
“You can get tested, you can get diagnosed and you can get treated,” said Redmonde
CAN Community Health is planning to expand next year’s event, and hopes their message is relayed.
“The biggest take away that I would wish from this event is that everybody that came here this year and particularly the people that are new walkers go back to their community and their families and they talk about HIV and they talk about AIDS and they talk about testing , diagnosis, prevention and hope,” said Redmonde
