World AIDS Day marked by red scarves around province
Red scarves could be seen waving from trees and lamp posts around the province Tuesday, as volunteers tied winterized versions of red ribbons in an AIDS awareness campaign.
Some scarves were even handed out for people to wear, all in recognition of World AIDS Day.
"AIDS has always been a thing in the forefront," said new volunteer Susan Jones with AIDS Moncton. "My son is gay and I worry about him, so I don't have a lot of money to give back, so I give back with my time."
More than 200 donated and hand-knit scarves added a festive feeling to the city, decorating some of Moncton's familiar land marks.
While the volunteers received a warm welcome from most people, the executive director of AIDS Moncton, Debbie Warren, says there is still a stigma attached to HIV and AIDS.
"So some people were, 'No, no thanks,' when they heard it was for World AIDS day, some say, 'Will it make me look gay?'" said Warren. "So it's a teaching moment right, an opportunity for people to maybe hear from us who work in the field everyday."
Warren says specific numbers are hard to come by in New Brunswick.
"We know there are over 350 cases of HIV, those are people who actually tested here, positive, a number of our clients actually tested from away, as we say, and then have come home, so their numbers would be recorded in other provinces," she explained.
Warren says people testing positive are living longer, with fewer side affects, but 25 per cent of people living with HIV don't know they have it.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 35 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS.
