Hey friends –
Most of us can remember the days when receiving a diagnosis of “HIV Positive” was quite literally a death sentence. As AIDS ravaged the globe, the world community struggled for a solution. Joyfully, we found one.
In recent decades, antiretroviral drugs (ARV’s) have been developed, paving the way for HIV positive persons to lead a full and healthy lifestyle. And whereas a year’s worth of ARV treatment cost $10,000 or more 10 years ago, today such treatments are available for just 40 cents per day. Amazing.
Nevertheless, AIDS is still an enormous challenge to the well-being of the world community, particularly in Africa. Fully two-thirds of all cases of AIDS occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where 3,800 people still die every day from what is now a completely treatable disease.
There’s good news, though. Through innovative partnerships with governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is distributing free ARV’s throughout the healthcare infrastructure of African countries. Since 2002, programs supported by the Global Fund have saved an estimated 5.7 million lives. The tide of the war against AIDS is beginning to turn; we just need to finish the job.
That’s why we’re so excited to invite you to out to a free screening of the HBO/RED documentary “The Lazarus Effect“, a moving 30 minute film which illustrates the powerful transformative effect of life-saving antiretroviral medicine through the stories of HIV+ people in the African country of Zambia.
So join Bloom, the ONE Campaign, and several other Denver area churches on Saturday, October 16th at 7:00pm at First Baptist Church Downtown (1373 Grant Street) for this event. The evening will include a brief intro and welcome from myself, a word about the ONE Campaign from the ONE Vote 2010 Colorado State Organizer, Nick Stevens, the film, and a time of Q/A with a panel of experts representing a variety of fields critical to the fight against AIDS. We’ll start at 7:00 and dismiss at 8:30. Our panel of experts will be available afterwards to continue answering questions for those interested in sticking around.
Our goal with this event is simple: education. It is our hope that participants emerge from the evening with a clear understanding of the “state” of the global AIDS conversation and a strong motivation to join what is fast becoming a very winnable battle thanks to drugs that cost just 40 cents per day.
(Visit our ONE event page here)
See you there!
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one.org
hbo.com/documentaries/the-lazarus-effect/index.html
theglobalfund.org
joinred.com/red/
