Chattanooga Honors World Aids Day
Recent data from the department of Health shows more than 20-thousand people in Tennessee are living with HIV.
Today many of them are being honored at events to mark the 20th anniversary of World Aid's Day.
NewsChannel 9's Erica Green tells us what's being done in the Tennessee Valley to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.
People around the world are remembering those who have died from HIV and AIDS.
Teams at Chattanooga Cares an organization which offers medical care and other resources... are honoring some of their own.
"Well unfortunately we lost 2 patients this weekend and they passed away in the hospital but they got into care too late or they didn't stay in care," said Dr. Jay Sizemore.
Dr. Jay Sizemore says retaining those patients is one of the biggest challenges.
Experts say there are 1000-1500 people with HIV and AIDs in the Tennessee Valley but Dr. Sizemore says he only sees about 450 of them because the others are undiagnosed.
This is a worldwide epidemic. It's an epidemic in this country that's largely been under addressed and we think there's a million folks in this country with HIV 25 percent of whom don't recognize that they are infected">
The Chattanooga Cares Director shows us how the disease works and says treatment has changed. What used to be a cocktail of pills is now just one a day...but taking it everyday and keeping up on tests can be challenging. That's where Chattanooga Cares Volunteers come in giving rides to patients, working in clinics and also helping at events like Monday's World Aid's Day meeting.
"But yeah it's something that we deal with everyday.Tonight is just highlighting the struggle," said Sarah Spencer, in Media Relations at Chattanooga Cares.
"It's a day to recognize people we've impacted a lot of lives. It's saved a lot of lives. But we still have a lot of work to do," said Dr. Sizemore.
Dr. Sizemore spoke at the local celebration at Grace Episcopal Church at the Corner of Belvior and Brainard Road Monday. He is reminding people the clinic on Kent Street in North Chattanooga offers free Hiv testing for everyone everyday.
