{"id":15145,"date":"2012-11-29T15:56:59","date_gmt":"2012-11-29T20:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=15145"},"modified":"2014-09-09T09:57:11","modified_gmt":"2014-09-09T13:57:11","slug":"world-aids-day-2012-do-something","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2012\/11\/29\/world-aids-day-2012-do-something\/","title":{"rendered":"World AIDS Day 2012: Do Something!"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>November 26th<\/sup> \u2013 December 1st<\/sup> is HIV\/AIDS Awareness Week, culminating in World AIDS Day on December 1, 2012.\r\n\r\nStudents from the Faculty of Medicine are inviting all<\/em> students to come to Kings College Circle this Friday, November 30th<\/sup> at 3pm<\/strong>, to participate in creating a large, human red ribbon in recognition of Worlds AIDS Day.\u00a0 Come out and help support this important cause!\r\n\r\nBut what is HIV\/AIDS?\r\n\r\nHIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.\u00a0 HIV attacks and weakens our immune system, which is the body\u2019s defence against diseases and infections.\u00a0 AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.\u00a0 A person with HIV is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak that it is no longer able to cope with diseases that it would normally be able to cope with.\u00a0 HIV is a virus that can be transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal secretions and breast milk.\u00a0 However, the most common ways HIV is passed on are through sex without a condom and sharing infected needles or syringes.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, there is no cure for HIV.\u00a0 Nevertheless, it is preventable.\r\n\r\nAlso, if a person does contract HIV, treatment can help keep the virus under control.\u00a0 The key is early<\/span> diagnosis.\r\n\r\nGreat, but why does this matter to us?\r\n\r\nAnyone<\/em><\/strong> that has sex without a condom or shares needles is at risk of HIV.\u00a0 As of 2008, youth aged 15-29 accounted for about 21%-23% of annual positive HIV reports.[1]<\/a>\u00a0 This is largely attributed to risky sexual behaviours and knowledge gaps in youth.[2]<\/a>\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a>Raising awareness about HIV\/AIDS \u2013 contraction, transmission, and treatment \u2013 is one way we can get involved to help decrease the transmission of this disease.\u00a0 For more information check out \u201cGetting to Zero\u201d<\/a>, the UNAIDS 2011-2015 strategy for the global HIV response.\r\n\r\nJoin the conversation:\r\n\r\n