World AIDS day, locally
Posted Dec 1, 2010 11:20:42 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Today is World AIDS Day, and in Waterloo Region, it will be marked by a candlelight vigil, among other events.
The AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener/Waterloo and Area is hosting the vigil at 7:00 p.m. today at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, at 825 King St. W., in Kitchener.
The Committee’s Executive Director, Colby Marcellus, tells 570 News there could be up to 1,000 people living with HIV or AIDS in Waterloo Region.
But he says it’s hard to be exact with that number, as up to one-third of people infected with HIV aren’t aware of it, and others don’t want anyone to know they’re infected.
Marcellus believes a lot has changed in the public’s perception of the HIV/AIDS problem: they don’t see it as the problem it once was because new treatments have come out.
But he says the latest stats show HIV infection numbers have actually been on the rise in Canada, and now stand at the same levels they were at in 1982.
The Committee will also be hosting a couple of fundraisers today.
A pair of hair-raising “Cut-a-thon”s are happening at two salons in the Region, on now until 5:00 p.m.
They are at The Cutting Room Salon, 417 King St. W., in Kitchener; and
Xpressions Beauty Salon, 366 Hespeler Rd., in Cambridge.
The Committee is also hosting an Open House event at their Kitchener offices, from Noon to 5:00 p.m., at 625 King Street East, Suite 2B.
A 7:00 p.m. candlelight vigil will be held in Guelph at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.
A vigil in Stratford was held last night.
