World AIDS day

This is in memory of all that have lost their lives as a result of HIV/AIDS complications. There is nothing left to say that hasn't already been said.
You can view the stories I did in 2006 at the links below...

http://manena20.blogspot.com/2006/11/when-i-met-hivaids.html
http://manena20.blogspot.com/2006/11/delay-of-arvs-in-africa.html
and of course-- last years post is pasted below...


I would like to start by asking you all to pause for a minute in memory of all the victims of AIDS that are deceased.

Next I would like to applaud all families taking care of the 'orphans of AIDS' and to those taking care of patients with AIDS/HIV related complications. You guys are magnificent people!

It's amazing that years after the discovery of this 'new disease', things seem to have worsened and not improved. Just the other day, news reports said that estimates of AIDS cases have risen in America. In years past, the misconception was that Africans we're too stupid to understand the cause and effect of unprotected sex and that was why the cases were increasing there. I can attest to the fact that this was not so.

By the time I was in high school in Zambia (mid-late '90's), we had representatives from various NGO's that would come in and talk to us about HIV and show pictures of sickly men, women and children. We saw pictures of penises oozing with puss and vaginas with various stages of decubitus wounds. We saw sketetons or children- reminiscent of the Ethiopian children in the 'we are the world' videos. There were countless numbers of billboards screaming out 'prevention is the cure' or something in those lines.
The message was loud and clear: Abstinence or Condoms was the key to a life free of HIV/ AIDS.

A few months ago, I found out that my cousin is HIV positive. My cousin is TWO DAYS older than I am. We saw the same billboards and heard the same messages. We knew almost the same people, including those that had AIDS.

Yesterday, news stations were abuzz with the story of the Zambian reporter Kenneth Gondwe that was recently circumcised. While I commend him for bringing this story to light. I fear that we will go back to the days when circumcisions were perfomed enmass and the same tool was used to cut the foreskin of the men in attendance. Most of the people in rural areas can not afford the $50 needed for the circumcision. In addition, if the message isn't sent out right, there will be a growing number of people that will assume that because they are circumcised, they will not get HIV when they fornicate sans condoms. Also, i can imagine a growing number of penile infections due to people performing their own circumcisions in the privacy of their own homes for lack of finances.

So any way, that's my little sermon for today.

World AIDS day & Circumcision

I would like to start by asking you all to pause for a minute in memory of all the victims of AIDS that are deceased.

Next I would like to applaud all families taking care of the 'orphans of AIDS' and to those taking care of patients with AIDS/HIV related complications. You guys are magnificent people!

It's amazing that years after the discovery of this 'new disease', things seem to have worsened and not improved. Just the other day, news reports said that estimates of AIDS cases have risen in America. In years past, the misconception was that Africans we're too stupid to understand the cause and effect of unprotected sex and that was why the cases were increasing there. I can attest to the fact that this was not so.

By the time I was in high school in Zambia (mid-late '90's), we had representatives from various NGO's that would come in and talk to us about HIV and show pictures of sickly men, women and children. We saw pictures of penises oozing with puss and vaginas with various stages of decubitus wounds. We saw sketetons or children- reminiscent of the Ethiopian children in the 'we are the world' videos. There were countless numbers of billboards screaming out 'prevention is the cure' or something in those lines.
The message was loud and clear: Abstinence or Condoms was the key to a life free of HIV/ AIDS.

A few months ago, I found out that my cousin is HIV positive. My cousin is TWO DAYS older than I am. We saw the same billboards and heard the same messages. We knew almost the same people, including those that had AIDS.

Yesterday, news stations were abuzz with the story of the Zambian reporter Kenneth Gondwe that was recently circumcised. While I commend him for bringing this story to light. I fear that we will go back to the days when circumcisions were perfomed enmass and the same tool was used to cut the foreskin of the men in attendance. Most of the people in rural areas can not afford the $50 needed for the circumcision. In addition, if the message isn't sent out right, there will be a growing number of people that will assume that because they are circumcised, they will not get HIV when they fornicate sans condoms. Also, i can imagine a growing number of penile infections due to people performing their own circumcisions in the privacy of their own homes for lack of finances.

So any way, that's my little sermon for today.

Breast Cancer march

I arose early at 6am to get ready for the breast cancer march which I was coerced into doing by the gang! I wasn't really decided about going until like this morning and I took a shower cussing under my breath the whole time and was dressed like a professional runner in a few minutes!

At first I was cranky because traffic was bad... (thank God I wasn't driving), there were 30 000 participants, and majority of them had pictures of their dead relatives on their shirt and the reality of cancer had me a little agitated.


Once we got running (haha! fooled you! I walked! everyone knows I DO NOT RUN), I got a little more relaxed... and though I didn't make the 3.5 miles (5 kilometers), I made 2 miles and was diverted into panera:-) I must say though that I haven't walked that far in a while...but i hadn't broken out in a sweat, and my legs didn't feel tired. So I am highly impressed with my level of health. I thought I was worse than that!
I also got face paintings (yeah...how old I'm I again?), and many freebies!
I ran into this one lady miss Sharon Davis who entered my life at the moment that I needed her! She was like a guardian angel to me and I was really happy when i saw her today. She really has not real clue what a God send she was because I haven't told her that much, but i promised to be in touch with her, and i'll spill my guts as usual one of these fine days.


Any way, back to today. I am amazed by how big of a turn out they had for the breast cancer march. To be honest, I was doing it because a friend of a friend had cancer, and it's been in remission for a year (she is an awesome lady!).

I on the other hand have only known one person die of breast cancer...while I know many who have died from HIV/ AIDS which normally doesn't have such a great turn out at marches here in Baltimore. To me i feel AIDS awareness is more important than cancer(although its also important), because HIV can be spread to many in a short period time whereas cancer is more 'each man for his own' unless ofcourse you are genetically predisposed.

Baltimore was ranked 3 in the country per JOhns Hopkins( http://www.jhuccp.org/pressroom/2003/11-13.shtml ) in 2003 and could very well be higherr at the moment yet It's not treated the same way it is in Zambia. Every third billboard is of a sexy lady here as opposed to Zambia where it's all awareness and warnings that we probably never heed. It's amazing how many people think AIDS is just an African problem... Baltimore could probably be on par with Zambia if ARV's weren't readily available.

Any way, that's my opinion. Oh and I had a marvelous time at the walk and was invited to a breast cancer survivors house for lunch. She has such pleasant children and the conversation and food was great!