16: Why You?

Many supporters of the Minnesota AIDS Project and of HIV prevention are connected in some personal way to the disease. Perhaps it was a family member or friend that is HIV positive. Many gay or bisexual men have been committed advocates for years since HIV first exploded into their community over 25 years ago. But what moves others to join in the fight against HIV?

As HIV rates in Minnesota are on the rise again, engaging a broad base of support is essential. For Kent Kyllo, a member of the recently formed Minnesota AIDS Project marketing committee, his reasons for supporting MAP have arisen in recent years. “As a married father of two young children, I wouldn’t be viewed as a high-risk person but I am concerned that AIDS has dropped off the public radar,” said Kyllo. “I remember when I was 12 or 13 years old and Time Magazine published a major story on HIV. Everyone was scared. For my generation, it wasn’t a sexuality issue but something that everyone had to pay attention to.”

"I am concerned that AIDS has dropped off the public radar."Despite the fact that HIV remains a very real threat, with over 1.2 million Americans living with the virus, many people believe that it can’t happen to them. The public health challenge though is that the prevalence (or how common the virus is in a community) will continue to rise as those that are HIV positive and have access to appropriate healthcare are thankfully living longer lives. There are also thousands of Minnesotans that are HIV positive but do not yet know it. Kyllo also believes that, “some of the high profile cases of HIV that originally helped raise awareness about the disease also present a challenge in that younger generations don’t recall them and if they do, it’s likely Magic Johnson who has done so well physically despite HIV. Young adults today haven’t seen the damage that this virus can cause and are more likely to be from a generation comfortable with the idea that there’s a pill for anything that ails you.”

As recent estimates of HIV in the United States point out, this issue is not going away. Over 56,000 people will contract HIV this year.Each year thousands of Minnesotans support MAP for a variety of reasons. The AIDS Walk may draw them to join in a spirit of community, public policy efforts draw in supporters seeking a voice in shaping our future, and Pride Alive offers an outlet to stand up proudly and fight prejudice and stigma. As we view the horizon after 25 years of service, the Minnesota AIDS Project thanks our current supporters but also seeks to get back to the basics of prevention and education for all. The need for a unified effort to stop HIV is critical. If you support the efforts of MAP, share your feelings with others. Encourage them to understand their own risks and to speak out about the importance of HIV education. If you are attending a Minnesota AIDS Project event, bring them along to see the work being done to help stop HIV here in our state.

As recent estimates of HIV in the United States point out, this issue is not going away. Over 56,000 people will contract HIV this year. “It’s a life altering diagnosis at best, and life threatening at its worst,” said Kyllo “and I for one don’t want an epidemic to be the reason for people to pay attention again. I want to make sure that public policy is up to date, funds are still being spent to work toward a vaccine, and that HIV is included in curriculum when teaching about STD’s and sexuality. It’s important that everyone understand how this virus affects everyone and that it can be prevented.”

To learn more about how you can help support the efforts of the Minnesota AIDS Project and , please visit www.mnaidsproject.org.

Last Updated: Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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