Michigan AIDS Coalition Hosts Free AIDS/HIV Event, 5/18

The numbers are daunting - 19,800 Michigan residents currently live with HIV. More than 67-percent of these individuals live in southeast Michigan, 78-percent of which are male. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) reported the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses occur among young men age 13-24.

In response, the African American AIDS Advisory Committee (A4C), the Michigan HIV/AIDS Council, the Oakland University School of Nursing, and the Man Alive Planning Group will be offering a free conference for young men and those who love them from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18 at Riverview Hospital (7733 E. Jefferson, in Detroit).

"It is clear that youth, especially young men, are not getting the information they need to keep HIV from becoming a part of their lives," says Terry Ryan, CEO of the Michigan AIDS Coalition (MAC). "National statistics indicate that one in five individuals with HIV is unaware of their infection, which is a dangerous statistic. We need to encourage those at risk to use local resources like those available at MAC, and to attend events like these that will help educate our community and stop the spread of this lethal disease," he says.

The conference will include informative workshops and presentations, free HIV/STD testing, and blood pressure and diabetes screenings. Local resources will be on display and representatives will answer questions and help attendees gain access to local resources. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for guests in attendance. The day will also include raffle prizes and giveaways. For more information, please contact Royale Theus at the Michigan AIDS Coalition at 248-545-1435 ext. 111, or visit www.michiganaidscoalition.org.