World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day is held on December 1st each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.   Held for the first time in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day.

Here in the United States approximately 1.2 million people are living with HIV.   Southern states account for an estimated 44 percent of all people living with HIV/AIDS in our country.  South Carolina has the 9th highest rate of new HIV infections in the country.  According to representatives at DHEC, 766 people are currently living with HIV in Horry County. The most alarming discovery is how young these patients are – some as young as 13 to 19 years old.

Today, despite scientific advances in HIV treatment, increased knowledge about the condition, and laws to protect people living with HIV, many people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from the disease.  There is a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.  It has been the mission of Careteam+, since our founding in 1993, to better the health of our community by empowering those impacted by chronic diseases and to improve lives through prevention, education, treatment and support.  Get involved on World AIDS Day by donating, holding a fundraiser or volunteering your time to support those living with HIV in your community.

Of the estimated 36.7 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS, more than 95% are in developing countries with limited access to health care.  At the end of the year 2000, South Africa was the country with the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS, approximately 4.2 million people.  Today, through the efforts of international support organizations, South Africa has reduced the mother-to-child- transmission of HIV to less than 2% and the average life expectancy of their population continues to steadily improve.  However, South Africa still accounts for 65% of all new HIV infections.  Other regions significantly affected by HIV/AIDS include Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

To learn more about World AIDS Day and download a fundraising pack with great ideas about how you can host a fun event to raise money for this important cause, visit WorldAidsDay.org