This years AIDS Walk focuses on reducing stigma

Despite the rain, an energetic crowd turned up for today’s Scotiabank AIDS Walk, hosted by Positive Living North (PLN).

This year’s theme is Keep Calm and Walk on focused on reducing the stigma still associated with the disease.

“We’re trying to bring awareness to the fact that you can shake someone’s hand if they have HIV or AIDS,” says Camille Macdonald, this year’s AIDS Walk Champion. “You can hug them and you can walk alongside them and there’s no risk to you.”

Despite huge advances in treatment options and improved prognosis for living with the disease, people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS still face discrimination and often struggle to find support.

“I think a lot of people are scared to talk about HIV because they figure that it doesn’t affect them,” says Stacey Hewlett, an educator with PLN. “But when you really delve into things, it does affect everyone in this community and across the world.”

Hewlett says she sometimes gets pushback from parents when talking to students about the disease.

Hewlett says she was particularly pleased that the students from Harwin Elementary’s leadership program took part.

It’s the first time a local elementary school has participated in the walk.

“The way I educate is very candid, very upfront, very blunt. A lot of parents are opposed to that and think their kid doesn’t need this information. Everyone needs this information. There are definitely still some barriers.”

She was particularly excited about a specific group of attendees.

“I’m really excited we have Harwin Elementary School here, coming to support and walk with us. These are my kids and I’m really pleased to see them here.”

Hewlett says knowledge is power and providing accessible, age-appropriate information about HIV and AIDS to students is a key part of fighting both the disease and the stigma around it.