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The subject of HIV and AIDS is one so important, that any one person’s ignorance about it can potentially be fatal. That is because regardless of one’s age, race, or sex, a person can contract HIV from a number of sources, making it a threat to people the world over. That is why on December 1, countries around the globe celebrate World AIDS Day in an attempt to spread knowledge about this epidemic in hopes of reducing, and eventually eradicating, contractions of this deadly disease.
As part of the World AIDS Day activities here in Chicago, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, along with Advocate Bethany Hospital and the Pathfinders Prevention Education Fund presented a community commemoration event at the Garfield Park Conservatory. This event, while small in comparison to some other national events, was an abundant resource of knowledge on the HIV/AIDS virus.
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A partial view of a part of the conservatory's holiday foliage exhibit
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The event itself was held in a mid-sized meeting room at the beautiful Garfield Park Conservatory, which is home to a large, diversified assemblage of beautiful foliage from the around the world. This stunning horticultural collection was a perfect backdrop to the educational offerings of the 2007 Garfield Park World AIDS Day Commemoration.
This annual commemorative event offers educational services from some of the area’s leading organizations in the fields of HIV and AIDS education and treatment, along with informational services on general healthcare and state-funded insurance programs.
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A woman signs the AIDS quilt
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Also at the event was the first showing of the West Garfield Park AIDS quilt, which is one of five representing various communities in the Chicagoland area. Attendees to the event were able to sign the quilt, either in honor of a friend or loved one with the HIV/AIDS disease or simply to show their support for the cause of fighting it. The quilt itself seemed to draw a number of people to the event. It seemed that even if a patron was just “passing through,” they still stopped and signed the quilt, showing that despite some people’s aversion to learning or talking about the disease, they still wish to show their support for those who suffer from it.
And that support is key to the ongoing battle with HIV and AIDS. Many people don’t know enough about the disease or are ignorant to the prevention of it, so it is necessary to have a number of groups active who specialize in educating people about the AIDS epidemic.
As Warren Bulliox, a representative from The Core Center, said, “Reach more, teach more.”
Truer words have never been spoken regarding the challenge of educating the public about HIV and AIDS. It is a common struggle that every educator faces when dealing with the subject. Because as Mr. Bulliox describes it, an educator has to break the stigma that comes with the subject of the disease, and in most cases, “retrain the thinking” of a person because people aren’t always aware of the consequences of their actions. And the more people that you reach, the less chance there is that those people will contract the disease and the greater chance that they’ll educate others about it.
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An educator from The Core Center teaches a group of school children about the pitfalls of unprotected sex
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But sometimes people aren’t always willing to talk about HIV and AIDS, so one of the first hurdles for an educator in that field is to open up the lines of communication with a person in order to get the message through.
And it is that barrier to communication that is a major challenge for Brenetta Howell Barrett, the President and CEO of Pathfinders Prevention Education Fund, which is one of the few organizations that concentrates on HIV and AIDS education in the elderly community.
According to Mrs. Barrett, many in elderly community have an aversion to discussing the subject of HIV/AIDS. She says that they are often in denial of their situation, and feel that the disease is not something they need to worry about because of their age, in spite of the fact that they are still sexually active. To combat this, Mrs. Barrett goes around to various retirement communities and functions, speaking to the elderly in a down-to-earth, matter-of-fact way that helps to break through any barriers in communication and gets to the heart of the matter.
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A representative from Advocate Bethany Hospital prepares to take a woman's blood pressure
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The need for Mrs. Barrett and her work is a staunch reminder that the HIV/AIDS virus knows no boundaries. It is a disease that can strike anyone, regardless of age, sex, race, or locale. But, as the educators at this year’s Garfield Park World AIDS Day commemoration event remind us, the proper protection can keep us safe by preventing the contraction - and further spread - of this terrible disease.
If you would like to find out more about World AIDS Day, please visit www.worldaidscampaign.info. If you wish to discover more about the Pathfinders Prevention Education Fund, please visit www.pathfindersprevention.org. And finally, for more information on The Core Center, please visit www.corecenter.org.
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A view of the trees lining one of the many paths at the conservatory
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The Garfield Park Conservatory is located at 300 North Central Park Ave in Chicago, Illinois. For more information on the conservatory, including hours of operation and a calender of events, please visit www.garfield-conservatory.org.
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