AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) and Cook County Health are collaborating for a special virtual event in honor of World AIDS Day, a global movement to increase public awareness and dialogue about HIV and AIDS, on Dec. 1, 2020 at 11:30 a.m.
The event will honor those we have lost to HIV/AIDS this past year and focus on the shared responsibility of advocates, organizations, communities and the rest of us to do our part to help drive an end to the HIV epidemic. Cook County Health's HIV Integrated Programs World AIDS Day event will highlight the importance of collaboration and global solidarity in the ongoing fight for a better future for those living with HIV and AIDS by featuring voices from across its many partners in the fight.
A variety of statewide organizations will share commemorative videos honoring World AIDS Day, which has been observed on Dec. 1 since its inception in 1988 as a global effort to increase public awareness about HIV/AIDS, promote HIV-related dialogue and mourn those we have lost to the disease.
More than 60% of the estimated 42,500 Illinoisans living with HIV reside in Chicago, with the state seeing more approximately 1,000 new transmissions each year. AIDS Foundation Chicago, Cook County Health, and other local health partners are working together to completely eliminate HIV transmission in Illinois with the Getting to Zero Illinois plan. The ambitious statewide effort among health care providers, advocates and communities aims to end new HIV transmissions in Illinois by 2030 by ensuring all Illinoisans living with or vulnerable to HIV and AIDS are connected to essential care, prevention and treatment services. The official Getting to Zero Illinois video, outlining progress, upcoming priorities, and ways to get involved, will premiere during the Dec. 1 virtual event.
AIDS Foundation Chicago is on the heels of celebrating its 35th year providing essential services, programs, and advocacy for those living with or vulnerable to HIV, AIDS and other chronic conditions. In addition to supporting Cook County Health's event on Dec. 1, AFC will be sharing stories from its community of people living with HIV and AIDS and centering on the theme, "We belong to each other," throughout the month of December.
Cook County Health is one of the largest providers of HIV/AIDS care in the Midwest. Its Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center drew nearly 45,000 visits and provided care for more than 5,300 HIV/AIDS patients last year alone.
Featured speakers include:
- Ms. Debra Carey, Interim CEO, Cook County Health
- Dr. Rachel Rubin, Senior Medical Officer, Cook County Department of Public Health
- Dr. Mildred Williamson, Executive Director, HIV Services, Ruth M Rothstein CORE Center/ACHN
- Peter McLoyd (Consumer Development & Advocacy Coordinator) of the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center will facilitate a moment of silence to honor all of those we have lost to HIV/AIDS.
About the AIDS Foundation Chicago: AFC mobilizes communities to create equity and justice for people living with and vulnerable to HIV or chronic conditions. AFC aspires to create a world in which people living with HIV or chronic conditions will thrive, and there will be no new HIV cases. More at: aidschicago.org .
