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A variety of Western Illinois University student groups, as well as community groups and non-profit organizations, have come together to help increase AIDS and HIV awareness on World AIDS Day on the WIU Macomb campus. The awareness event -- which will include free, confidential HIV testing -- is slated from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1 in the Multicultural Center, located on Murray St. directly across from the University Union.
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World AIDS Day Awareness Event Dec. 1 at WIU

November 29, 2010

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MACOMB, IL -- A variety of Western Illinois University student groups, as well as community groups and non-profit organizations, have come together to help increase AIDS and HIV awareness on World AIDS Day on the WIU Macomb campus. The awareness event -- which will include free, confidential HIV testing -- is slated from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1 in the Multicultural Center, located on Murray St. directly across from the University Union. World AIDS day is commemorated every year on December 1 across the globe.

Other activities taking place at the Dec. 1 event at WIU-Macomb include tables with information about HIV and AIDS, as well as on-the-hour (10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 noon and 1 p.m.) screenings of "The Lazarus Effect," a 30-minute HBO documentary by Lance Bangs. According to the video's description on YouTube, the video "follows the story of HIV positive people in Africa who in as few as 40 days undergo a remarkable transformation thanks to access to treatment that costs around 40 cents a day" (available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=l16YH6xCN4c).

Adam Kohlrus, a health sciences graduate student and Peace Corps Fellows Program graduate assistant at Beu Health Center, spearheaded the organization of the Dec. 1 event for WIU's Macomb campus.

"The joint partnership between Beu and the student organizations who have facilitated this event has been fantastic," he said. "It represents the best of peer to peer education and will hopefully raise the awareness level of HIV/AIDS on campus."

Kohlrus added that those who are interested in learning how they can make a difference individually can through Young Heroes, a program operated by NERCHA (the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS of the government of Swaziland), which was created with the help of U.S. Peace Corps. More information is available on the Young Heroes website at www.youngheroes.org.sz.

WIU's World AIDS Day Event 2010 is sponsored by Beu Health Center, the Black Student Association (BSA), Campus Green, Eta Sigma Gamma, Feminist Action Alliance, McDonough County Health Department, McDonough District Hospital, Students T.A.L.K. Peer Educators, The Project-Quad Cities, United Greek Council and Unity.

For more information, contact Beu Health Center's health education office at (309) 298-1888 or contact Kohlrus via email at AC-Kohlrus@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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