AIDS Awareness Week wraps up with World AIDS Day Sunday, December 1.
This year’s theme is “Communities make the difference.”
The AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area held an event Friday in advance of World AIDS Day bringing together local dignitaries and community partners, to help raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and the role communities play in that regard.
Part of that awareness involved having volunteers hit the streets in North Bay, Sturgeon Falls, and Mattawa, leaving over 300 knitted or crocheted red scarves on light poles or fencing for people to take.
The Red Scarf Project encourages people to get tested and know their status.
Volunteer coordinator at the AIDS Committee, Kyle Bakowski, explained that volunteers have been key to making the Red Scarf Project a success for the past seven years.
“The aim of this project is to bring HIV and AIDS awareness to our community,” said Bakowski.
“People are encouraged to take a scarf home, read the message attached to it and share it by having a personal conversation about HIV and AIDS.”
Attached to each scarf is a card with 2016 statistics provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
“Six Canadians are infected by HIV every day. Almost one in four new HIV infections in Canada are among females. Fourteen per cent of HIV+ Canadians don’t know their status. Fifty-three per cent of new HIV infections in Canada occur among men who have sex with men, and 11 per cent of new HIV infections in Canada occur among people who inject substances.”
Ron Couchie was walking down Main Street North Bay when he was approached by volunteers who offered him one of the handmade scarves.
Team members Rebecca Dubeau, Hannah Mackie, and Saskia Hildebrandt were just a few of the many volunteers leaving scarves throughout the downtown.
“I think it is a great idea bringing out these scarves. It is something I will wear all the time, “said Couchie.
“I find it is talked about quite a bit at the Circle of Friends. I think it is a good idea.”
Dubeau recognizes the importance of the Red Scarf Project.
“I like that it is about getting out in the community and spreading awareness. It is really important because with everything going on in the world today, sometimes things go unnoticed and this is too important not to notice.”
Seeing red scarves tied up along the street had people asking questions.
“I think this is a conversation that we need to have. It is a big issue and something we should talk about. So, this is such a great physical action and visual display. It really gets the conversation going when people see these red scarves tied up around the city,” said volunteer Hannah Mackie.
As a Hep C treatment nurse at the local AIDS committee, Saskia Hildebrandt says it is important to remember those people who have lost their battle with HIV and AIDS.
“And the other part of that is to start talking about this more, to decrease that stigma and to remember that this is something that people can live with. This is not a death sentence, this is just another disease, and to open up that conversation and to make sure that people who are affected and infected are included in our community,” said Hildebrandt.
“Getting tested is incredibly important. Now we can do this really quick test, and even better, there is a really good treatment for HIV. So, if you come and get tested, it is no longer having to tell you ‘I’m so sorry we have to tell you that you have this horrible illness and we can’t do anything about it.’ It is ‘Here is your diagnosis, but there are good treatments available.’”
Hildebrandt says with proper treatment, people are living longer.
“People with HIV in Canada have the same life expectancy as every other Canadian which is amazing. And I think that conversation is not being had and that information is not on the radar. When we talk about HIV and talk about AIDS it is very sombre, it is very scary. But this other side of it is, that it is treatable is not the first thing that comes to mind.’
Local AIDS Committee executive director Stacy Mayhall encourages people to get tested as early as possible.
“You can walk in off the street and say you would like to have a test, and we can almost immediately do a test for you. If you have been nervous about it, we are absolutely there to help support you, to have a level of comfort before and after the test,” said Mayhall.
“Our higher concern here in North Bay compared with other places is people who use injection drugs. So, our emphasis is on ensuring people know we have harm reduction supplies in our agency, as well as other needle exchanges in town, and we can assist you with trying to reduce the harm and doing your drugs as safely as possible,” said Mayhall.
Call the Aids Committee of North Bay and Area at 705-497-3560 for further information.
Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week runs from December 1st to December 5th.
