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AIDS Quilt Alerts Students to Dangerous Consequences
by Michelle Drago, Reporter
Eight quilts were displayed in Banks Dining Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to inform students of the AIDS disease. The HIV Peer Educators sponsored this event to allow students to witness the dangers of AIDS.
There was also a short memorial service held in the dining hall to remember all of the AIDS victims. In the beginning of the service, students and faculty in attendance walked through the dining hall to observe the quilts and then rejoined to discuss their feelings. Fr. Don Williams referred to the quilts as a “living legacy.”
“The quilts had touched me, they showed dedication and care for each quilt,” said freshman Alyssa Cipriano.
“The families had made the quilts to spread awareness and that is what they are doing,” said sophomore Nicole DiGiovanni.
Fr. Don Williams recited the opening prayer and introduced the guest speaker for the night’s event. A woman named Helen, who does not use her last name to retain privacy, shared her life story on how she dealt with her own battle with the disease.
She told students and faculty that her addiction for drugs was the cause of her getting the disease and as a result of making poor choices in life. “This can happen to anybody. It’s harder to live with my disease of addiction than HIV,” said Helen.
Helen had found out she had AIDS when being rushed to the hospital as a result of having her baby coming earlier than expected. Her baby was born addicted to drugs but did not get the virus. “At this time of my life, I was devastated and prayed that my son would not have the virus,” she said.
Helen eventually went to rehab and realized that God had a plan for her. She turned her life around and now realizes how important life is.
“Some days are harder than others, but I love my life,” she said. Helen is now living with her AIDS undetected and she believes God gave her a second chance.
People who are newly diagnosed to AIDS are already resistant to the drugs that can help them. Over three-fourths of Americans have the disease and do not know. Sister Ruth Neely said, “It is a reality to journey with [AIDS] and there is no face to this disease. It makes you conscious and I believe everyone should get tested.”
Approximately 15,000 are affected per day from the AIDS disease. So far, the total number of people who are HIV positive has increased in the United States from 40,000 in the 90’s to 56,000 currently.
Sophomore Tracy Townsend said, “I think the biggest thing is that anyone can get AIDS. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from -- anyone can be touched by it.”