In 1989 my Uncle Stephen was diagnosed with HIV. Most here know that he recieved tainted blood after a hit and run car accident when he was 13. He was 20 when he found out that that he would eventually get AIDS. Literally, from the moment the diagnosis came down, my mother and uncle became crusaders. Not only to find a way to eliminate the virus, but to help those who were medically and socially ostricized for being inflicted with it. They became members of a group called AmFAR...the American Foundation for AIDS Research, subsequently, they became members of many other groups as well. UNAIDS, AVERT, EJAF, and Bono's ONE Foundation, just to name a few.
Mom and Uncle Steve's first World AIDS Day was in Dec of 1989, a little over a month after his diagnosis. He passed in 2001, but my mother still crusades on. Still helps those who cannot help themselves. Still searches for that elusive way to end HIV and AIDS. Here in America, progress has taken a leap forward, many who have been diagnosis now are living AIDS free lives partly due to the work my mother and Uncle Steve did in the early days. But, the rest of the world, namely countries like South Africa and India, AIDS runs rampant, killing people at an alarming rate. Leaving children orphaned by the millions. I have 2 sisters (3 counting Zia) and 2 brothers who came to us because their biological parents died in Africa from AIDS.
My mother cannot do it this year. So, here I am, along with my brothers and sisters, we have taken up the crusade and on this World AIDS Day, we are on our way to San Francisco, where we will dedicate a patch to the AIDS Quilt in honor of Alex, who came to us and passed on from AIDS this summer.
I post this in memory of my Uncle, Stephen Clarke McKinney. And also in memory of the millions who have been inflicted and have succumbed to AIDS. May their lives not be in vain, and may we yet find a way to eliminate it before it kills more.
World AIDS Day: May it be the last we need to have...
Every time one of you lists even some of the kids like that, I think you should just call them your football team instead of your family.
