10 Million HIV-AIDS Deaths Preventable by 2025
As delegates begin to gather for the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria we are hearing that at least 10 million HIV-AIDS deaths could be averted by 2025. Michael Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director says that in order to do so we must reshape the AIDS response through innovation that would bring down costs so that investments can reach more people.
To learn more about the radically simplified HIV treatment platform called Treatment 2.0, take a look at this article by Andre Picard from the Globe and Mail or see this information from UNAIDS.
Published by: GiveADay on July 15th, 2010 | Filed under Give a Day 2010, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Media, Workplace CampaignsComment now »
Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP- “Just Results” Auction for Give a Day
Vanessa Payne from SGM writes…When Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP decided to participate in the Give a Day Campaign in 2007, we wondered what we could do to raise as much money as possible, given that we are a relatively small firm. We decided that a combination of humour and fear of public humiliation might do the trick, and the “Just Results Auction” was born (“Just Results” is the firm’s tag line). The auction is now held each year in late November or early December to coincide with World AIDS Day and the Give a Day Campaign.
The Just Results Auction is both a silent auction and a live auction. Lawyers and staff donate items for the silent auction, and food and drinks are available at the same time. During the silent auction this year, a staff member painted a partner’s face/head to look like a giant hamburger – it was a challenge that resulted in a $500 donation to the Campaign.
After the silent auction ends, the live auction begins. The items available in the live auction give winning bidders an opportunity to make a lawyer(s) do something. For example, there are some fairly innocuous items such as bidding to have a lawyer buy you flowers once a month for three months, to buy and deliver to you a fancy coffee once a week for 6 weeks, or to buy you a cake on your birthday. Another item gives the winning bidder a right to pick a lawyer to go around the office at the end of a day and collect all the dirty glasses and mugs. One year, a winning bidder could choose a lawyer to switch work stations with a staff member for a day. As a result, one of our lawyers wound up spending a day at reception answering the telephones and receiving courier packages (I’m not exactly sure what the receptionist did that day!).
However, the live auction items that raise the most money are not so benign – these items involve making lawyers perform at the firm’s holiday party, which takes place three or four weeks after the auction. For example, one item gives the winning bidder(s) the right to choose 2 or 3 lawyers to act out a scene from a movie (chosen by the winning bidder) at the holiday lunch. Past performances have included scenes from Brokeback Mountain and Pulp Fiction. Another item gives the winner(s) the right to choose 2-3 lawyers to sing a song of the winner’s choice at the lunch (a performance of “Like a Virgin” by two male lawyers was particularly popular). So in addition to raising money for a good cause, the auction also helps liven up our holiday party with all kinds of strange performances.
The main performance, however, takes place in our office the morning of the holiday party. The winning bidder(s) can select 5 or 6 lawyers to perform a pre-selected song. For the past two years, these performances have been videotaped by a staff member. You can see last year’s performance here. (You may notice that other people in our building also get to enjoy the show).
This past year, bidding on this item went crazy – it started out normally enough, but two “consortiums” of lawyers, staff and students suddenly emerged and started bidding against each other. In the end, the auctioneer decided to take everybody’s money and let each group choose 3 of the performers. This added about $3000 to the total and resulted in this performance.
The Just Results Auction is one of the highlights of the year at SGM. Hilarity reigns (even during bidding on the more benign items) usually as a result of the antics of our auctioneer, Mark Wright (who is also the policeman in the first video and the guy wearing the mini-skirt in the second video). The auction is fun, so it is well attended. The desire (of at least some lawyers) to avoid being chosen to perform creates bidding wars – and bidding wars mean more money for the Campaign.
Now we just have to think of a great song for the group performance this year!
Published by: GiveADay on January 20th, 2010 | Filed under GAD Events, Give a Day 2009, Give a Day Harambees, Media, Workplace CampaignsComment now »
World AIDS Day Harambee in Port Perry
The first ever Port Perry Harambee was hosted by Dr. Steve Russell in the clinic boardroom on December 1st. A catered lunch was enjoyed, great music from the new Harambee CD and everyone tuned in to YouTube messages from Dignitas International, the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and Give a Day founder Jane Philpott. Each year, more of the medical and support staff join in the campaign, and each year everyone is affirmed in the resolve together to be part of the solution.
Published by: GiveADay on December 1st, 2009 | Filed under Workplace Campaigns1 Comment »
World AIDS Day 2009 – We Share This Path Together
Dr. Jane Philpott, Give a Day Founder writes…My love of African proverbs is no secret. It always makes me happy to stumble on a new proverb about health or education or justice. This week I learned a new proverb from Burkina Faso that speaks to the work of the Give a Day movement. It says: “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to walk far, walk with others.”.
To reach a world without AIDS, we have to walk far. We must therefore walk the path together.
How I wish we could walk fast and see this pandemic ended immediately. Every extra day that it takes means a difference between life and death for thousands. The solutions are not simple. Clearly we need to “walk with others”. When we do work together, I’m convinced the problem of HIV is solvable.
Yesterday in this blog, Tim O’Shea wrote about the heartwrenching statistics on vertical virus transmission. He said that “The fact that transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child continues to occur at such rates at a time when we know how to reliably manage this risk should be source of shame for the entire international community.” I wholeheartedly agree. So what will it take?
It will take money… large amounts of money from the international community and smaller amounts of money raised by movements like Give a Day.
It will take political will… which is built by movements like Give a Day where ordinary people act in solidarity with people they will never meet to address an injustice that affects us all.
It will take solid infrastructure to be built and maintained in order to deliver and sustain the top-quality healthcare systems that everyone with HIV must be able to access.
It will take a concerted commitment to address all of the global issues that impact health including food security, gender equity, education and more.
We may be daunted by the magnitude of the task. But we have already come a long way. In the five years since the Give a Day movement started, the number of people in the world on antiretroviral treatment has increased by ten-fold! This has happened through extraordinary efforts of countless people around the world.
To reach a world without AIDS, we have to walk far. We share this path together.
Please engage in an act of solidarity today. Please give a day’s pay… because a day makes a world of difference.
Dr. Jane Philpott, Founder of Give a Day to World AIDS
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Reflections on the AIDS Epidemic Update for 2009 – Dr. Tim O’Shea
Dr. Tim O’Shea, Give a Day supporter writes…UNAIDS recently released their AIDS Epidemic Update for 2009. In previous blogs I have emphasized how important it is to keep in mind the personal stories behind the staggering statistics associated with this virus. However, reflecting on the information contained in the update, it becomes clear that the numbers do indeed speak for themselves. The overall numbers are jarring; in 2008 there were 33 million people living with HIV, an astounding 2.7 million new infections and 2 million deaths. Looking deeper at the statistics, however, reveals what for me is one of the most outrageous aspects of the HIV pandemic . The burden of this disease is being borne increasingly by the women and children of sub-Saharan Africa. Over 14 million children have been orphaned since the start of the epidemic, and astoundingly 91% of the 430,000 children born with HIV in 2008 were born in sub-Saharan Africa. The fact that transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child continues to occur at such rates at a time when we know how to reliably manage this risk should be a source of shame for the entire international community.
Reading and reflecting on statistics such as these can leave one alternating between feelings of deep outrage and depression, guilt and hopelessness. The scope of the pandemic seems so overwhelming, and the problems so complex that it is difficult to know how to make a difference. That is why it is so essential to learn about the work that organizations such as Dignitas International and the Stephen Lewis Foundation are carrying out. Visit their websites, attend a talk, volunteer, Give a Day. Getting involved with these groups will begin to replace your sense of rage with a sense of purpose, and your feelings of despair with hope.
Published by: GiveADay on November 30th, 2009 | Filed under Give a Day 2009, HIV/AIDS in Africa, Media, Recipient News, Workplace Campaigns, World AIDS Day 2009Comment now »
Give a Day Pledge Week at Cassels Brock!
On Monday, Give A Day pledge week began with a “pop” as the delicious smell of fresh buttery popcorn filled the hallways of Cassels Brock. All of our articling students took a break from their due diligence and drafting assignments and joined the Give A Day team in the staff lounge to help pop and fill 500 cups of popcorn.
The response from the firm was amazing – pledge forms rolled in and everyone enjoyed their afternoon snack. Campaign representatives were also available to answer any questions that people might have about the Give A Day Campaign.
Our next event was a “Book Sale with Free Eats” on Wednesday afternoon. We received over 35 boxes of donations which were filled with all kinds of books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. During the sale, we played Give A Day’s informational DVD on a large screen and treated our shoppers to fruit, cheese, crackers and desserts.
Now that it is getting close to the end of pledge week, our group is busy baking 500 chocolate-chip cookies to distribute on Friday as a big “thank you” for participating in the Give A Day Campaign. We expect to receive plenty of donations over the next two days and look forward to tallying the grand total at the end of the week.
Published by: GiveADay on November 27th, 2009 | Filed under GAD Events, Give a Day 2009, Workplace Campaigns, World AIDS Day 2009Comment now »
Dignitas Co-Founder James Fraser Speaks at Torys LLP
Jackie Taitz, member of the Torys LLP Give a Day campaign team writes…On Tuesday November 10th James Fraser spoke before a large crowd at Torys, a law firm in downtown Toronto, as part of their annual Give A Day to World AIDS campaign. The audience was moved by Mr. Fraser’s graphic description of the state of health care and the response to HIV and AIDS at the time of his first visit to the Zomba hospital. The transformation that Dignitas, working together with Malawian health officials, has fostered in a few short years left those in attendance truly in awe of Dignitas’ impressive achievements.
Dignitas International Co-Founder James Fraser speaks at Torys LLP
Many at Torys walked away from Mr. Fraser’s presentation inspired by the work that Dignitas is doing and motivated to financially support its efforts. The event was a huge success and Torys greatly appreciates Mr. Fraser taking the time to share his remarkable experiences with us.
Gillian Dingle, member of Torys' Give a Day Campaign team
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Markham Stouffville Hospital celebrates its 6th year of Give a Day to World AIDS!
The Markham Stouffville Hospital team enjoyed a fabulous Harambee on Friday November 20, 2009 at Bridges Restaurant in Markham. The Harambee was hosted by Dr. Paddy Whelan, Chief of Surgery at the hospital. A great group of hospital staff gathered to hear a report from Dr. Lorna Adams who recently worked at the Dignitas project in Malawi. Over $9000 in donations was collected that evening to support both the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International. The evening was a great example of “collective efficacy” which has been described by Helen Epstein to be “present everywhere there is a spirit of collective action and mutual aid, a spirit that is impossible to measure or quantify, but that is rooted in a sense of compassion and common humanity”.
Bridges to Africa Host Dr. Paddy Whelan
Harambee Speaker Dr. Lorna Adams shares news from Malawi
Guests at the Harambee
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Harambee Blues – for World AIDS Day and CD Launch of Harambee!
On Tuesday, December 1st, World AIDS Day, come to “Harambee Blues” – a night of music for World AIDS Day , and the CD launch of “Harambee!” featuring Madagascar Slim, Digging Roots, Mike Stevens, Blue Room with hosts for the evening Uitsile Ndlovu and Simba Nyawiri (of Soul Influence). The event takes place at the Silver Dollar Room in Toronto (486 Spadina Ave) – doors open at 6:00pm (dinner menu available), and the show begins at 7:30pm. Admission is $10.00 http://www.silverdollarroom.com/
Harambee! CD - Proceeds benefit Dignitas International and the Stephen Lewis Foundation
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Give a Day in Thunder Bay
Joan Coutanche, Give a Day supporter from The Beading Edge in Thunder Bay, Ontario writes…I recently had the opportunity to be part of a large craft market in Thunder Bay. I sell jewellery – using Fair Trade and Kazuri beads from Africa whenever possible – and donate 100% of the proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I thought it would be a great chance to spread the word about the Give a Day campaign. The sale was a lot of fun and very successful, bringing in $1400 for the Foundation. I’m hopeful that the Give a Day materials that we distributed will result in many more dollars in donations.
Joan Coutanche and Elaine Pond (pictured) share the Give a Day movement in Thunder Bay
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