Bishop Reding Students Host Pasta Dinner for World AIDS Day 2009

Alex Schroder, Give a Day supporter at Bishop Reding High School in Milton, Ontario writes…In honour of World Aids Day, the Student Athletic Association at Bishop Reding High School hosted their second annual pasta dinner on December 2nd.

When deciding where to direct our money this year, Give a Day and the Stephen Lewis Foundation seemed like the perfect decision; as the founder of Give A Day, Jane Philpott, is a close friend of mine and having heard Stephen Lewis speak on numerous occasions, he inspired me by his passion to “turn the tide on AIDS” by helping individuals at the grassroots level.  The night began with a delicious dinner provide by East Side Mario’s.  Over 100 community members attended, local retailers donated items for the silent auction and the new “Harambee” CD was for sale.  Margaret Wright, the Director of Operations for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, was our guest of honour.  She gave a moving speech on the plight of the millions of AIDS orphans in Africa.  I believe that it is important for people our age to be made aware of what is happening in our world and that the deciding factor that determines your likelihood of getting treatment for HIV should not be the country you are born in.

Students signed the "We Gave a Day" poster to show their support.

The evening was a huge success, raising over $2000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and it has inspired others to take action and create awareness for the AIDS/HIV pandemic.  By supporting this event people in our community were recognizing the need for change and responding to the crisis.

Alex and Katrien with cupcakes that were donated for the event.

Bishop Reding Fundraising Committee and Student Athletic Association who helped make the evening happen.

University of Western Ontario Harambee

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.