Today is World AIDS Day–the 20th annual World AIDS Day to be exact. With so much going on in our country and around the world, and so many other crises fighting for our attention, the AIDS crisis doesn’t seem to make the news much these days. Because of this, the World AIDS Campaign is more important than ever.

While we’ve come a long way where the testing, research, education and treatment of HIV and AIDS is concerned, there are many communities and developing countries where HIV/AIDS is still occuring at epidemic rates. Even in the US, a developed country known for its research and advances in medicine, recent statistics indicate that about 56,000 people are infected with HIV each year and that almost 450,000 are currently living with AIDS. That’s just a fraction of the estimated 33 million people around the world who are living with HIV/AIDS.

Every day, almost 7,500 people are infected with HIV. Clearly there is much left to do if we’re ever going to get this epidemic under control. You may not be a doctor or scientist, but you can get involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS, too.

• Educate yourself, your friends and your family
• Learn why it’s important to be a leader and make a pledge
• Get involved
• Participate in an event to raise awareness or start your own
• Use your money wisely and learn about (RED)

Whether your life is directly affected by HIV/AIDS or not, there is plenty that each one of us can do to make sure that the millions who deal with this disease every day are not forgotten and receive the treatment and resources they need.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."