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For Immediate Release Date: November 21, 2016 Contact: Leslie Piotrowski (847) 377-8055
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Waukegan, Ill. –The Lake County
Health Department and Community Health Center, as a member of the Lake County
Stands Against Stigma Coalition, is sponsoring a free community event to commemorate
World AIDS Day on Thursday, December 1st at 5:30 p.m. The event will take place at Waukegan High
School’s Trapp Auditorium, 2325 Brookside in Waukegan.
World AIDS Day is a global event held annually on December 1st to honor
individuals living with HIV, the families, friends, caregivers and communities
who support them, and those that have lost their battle against HIV. This year’s event will feature
inspirational thoughts, performances from local artists and a candle-lighting
ceremony to remember those we have lost. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the program
beginning promptly at 5:30 p.m. A free
dinner for all attendees will immediately follow. This free event is open to
the public and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV.
World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the community that HIV has not gone
away and there is still a vital need to increase awareness, fight stigma and
improve education. The local campaign this year is again focused on erasing the
stigma often associated with HIV.
The Lake County Stands Against Stigma Coalition is a collaboration of community
members including the Health Department, Catholic Charities of Lake County,
Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance’s The Harbor, the Office of State
Representative Rita Mayfield, the office of Lake County State’s
Attorney Michael Nerheim, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center and
community volunteers. The World AIDS Day event is also supported by the Waukegan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority and Waukegan Public Schools.
The Coalition members work together for capacity building, advocacy, and the
elimination of HIV-related stigma. This stigma includes unfavorable attitudes,
beliefs, and policies directed towards people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as
their loved ones and communities. Stigma can impact how people living with HIV
see themselves and how others think about people living with or affected by
HIV. Stigma also prevents people from getting tested, seeking medical care and
living full and healthy lives. Until HIV-related stigma is faced head-on, new
infections will continue to occur.
For more
information about the event, please call the Health Department’s Sexually
Transmitted Infections (STI) Program at: (847) 377-8450.
The Health Department’s STI Program,
located at 2400 Belvidere Road in Waukegan, offers many services including
counseling, education, free and confidential HIV testing, educational based
support/talk groups, and outreach. For additional information or to make an
appointment, call: (847) 377-8450.
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