HIV Advocates Raise Awareness Ahead of World Aids Day

RENO, Nev. (775 Times, NV Globe) – It is a lifelong illness that affects the immune system that has been around since the 1980s.

On World AIDS Day, many people will mourn individuals who have died as a result of the disease.

“My mom died at 26 so she didn’t have no time to live out her dreams or anything like that and I tell people that she died because of the stigma,” Andy Feds, a “Keeping it Positive” HIV advocate said.

Feds is an outspoken HIV/AIDS supporter, and not just because of his mother. He was born with HIV.

“When I tell people that I was born positive, they immediately think ‘Oh, he must be gay, or oh, he must be promiscuous or oh, he might be a drug user or he has AIDs’ and it’s like no, I have never had AIDS, I’ve always been interested in women…” Feds said.

According to Feds, believing that HIV only affects a certain set of individuals is one of several myths surrounding the disease.

Gus Marquez, the infectious disease program coordinator of Northern Nevada HOPES, always urges individuals to share accurate information.

“Educating ourselves, educating our peers, educating our family, our support systems,” Marquez said.