World Aids Day Event, December 1, 2008, 6:00 p.m.

From: Valley AIDS Network

“Where Do We Go From Here?” – World AIDS Day 1988-2008
December 1, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
War Memorial Auditorium, Memorial Hall

There are over 39 million people globally living with HIV or AIDS. World AIDS Day was designated in 1988 to bring awareness to the pandemic facing the world. HIV is transmitted through infected bodily fluids, shared needle use with an infected person or mother to child transmission. This is a worldwide pandemic. AIDS does not discriminate and infects and affects anyone regardless of gender, age, religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.

December 1, 2008 will be the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. The Valley AIDS Network has invited Naisiadet Mason, MPH of Nairobi, Kenya to share her experiences of working with persons affected by HIV across Africa. Ms. Mason is currently a consultant with BroadReach Health Care South Africa supporting community driven prevention, care, and treatment efforts for persons affected by HIV/AIDS. She has worked as Senior Advisor, with UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Region working on innovative advocacy and social mobilization strategies and as a Human Rights Advisor with World Health Organization. Ms. Mason was one of the founding members of Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK) after an HIV diagnosis in 1987. She also served as Vice President of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa in where she advocated and lobbied with the US Congress for additional funding to improve the plight of women and children affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Ms. Mason’s will join the panel discussion following her presentation bringing the global pandemic closer through its impact locally. Panelist will include Addison Parris, MD (Infectious Diseases – Rockingham Memorial Hospital), Rebecca Dillingham, MD, MPH (University of Virginia Center for Global Health), Elaine Martin, MA (Director of Community Services, Division of Disease Prevention/Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.

The Eastern Mennonite University Chamber Singers will perform and a candlelight vigil will be held outside Memorial Hall directly following the program.

The Valley AIDS Network is an affiliated agency through the JMU Institute for Innovations in Health and Human Services housed in Blue Ridge Hall.

CONTACT: Mr. Shannon D. Porter, Executive Director or Mr. Tony Sierra, Director of Client Services
Valley AIDS Network, James Madison University, MSC 9018, Harrisonburg, VA 22807
540-568-8838 (Main Number); 800-648-5302 (Toll Free); 540-568-8835 (Fax)
www.valleyaidsnetwork.org