Since 1988, December first has been a day designated to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. The executive director of AVOL Kentucky is Jon Parker. He said looking back on how this disease impacted Kentuckians is a key part of World AIDS Day each year.
“We certainly want to reflect and remember all the people who came before us who we may have lost, you know families have been impacted by that loss and then certainly recognizing all the people through the years that have worked on the front lines,” said Parker.
Medical reports in the last few years have focused on a variety of viruses, ranging from COVID to Monkey Pox to R-S-V to influenza. Some advocates say there’s been much less attention on HIV/AIDS. Parker said knowledge about preventing the spread of HIV is applicable to the viruses getting attention today.
“AVOL Kentucky has been well positioned to take what we’ve learned in working in HIV prevention over the years and start to apply it to these new emerging viruses that we’ve seen materialize the last year or two because prevention is the key in all of those cases,” said Parker.
AVOL is holding an open house at its new office on 1824 Hill Rise Drive from 4:30 to 6:30 Thursday.
In addition to an open house, Parker said the Bluegrass Black Pride organization is having a Celebration of Life event Friday evening from six until eight at the Lyric Theater. Parker noted there remains optimism about eventually stopping the transmission of HIV/AIDS entirely. The AVOL director added some patients are being treated with one medication to maintain a healthy condition.
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