Worldwide on this day - we commemorate World AIDS Day. Although Malaysia had progressed greatly in many areas - I find that awareness on HIV/AIDS is still disappointingly lacking among many of her people. It is sad to read the multitudes of stories in the newspapers that report about the misconceptions of people towards PLWHAs (people living with HIV/AIDS)

I'm hugely saddened too to remember that Facets! Online, a project that was once my baby, is currently not being continued by my juniors in KDU Penang. It felt like only yesterday when it was launched at the 5th ICAAP (5th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific), Oct 1999, in the PWTC.

Would you like to be part of an awareness campaign? Go to Link and Think and select a graphic. For information on AIDS, try AIDS 101 or better yet... check out what the United Nations AIDS Project has in store.

     

On a personal note: Let me share with you a little something that really moved me to the edge of tears. When I was at the 5th ICAAP, I've heard speeches from many who champion to spread awareness about the disease... they even lowered the lights and screened 2 videos showing the lives of PWLHAs in 2 very different scenarios.

One was about a husband and wife who are outcast by their families, who have exhausted their finances to get treatment, living in poverty & currently getting treatment from charity AIDS clinics. The other showed a young man who was luckier than the unfortunate couple - he had the understanding and support of his family.

When the lights came back on, the young man was on stage with his mother. He gave a short and emotional speech to everyone in the auditorium and told us that without the support of his mother, he would have given up the hope to live on, a long time ago. When they both started crying on stage and hugged each other... I felt tears forming. What would you do if you found out that someone in your circle had HIV/AIDS? Will you be a fair-weathered friend or a pillar of support?