World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day

December 1 is World AIDS day again. A day to remember the victims of this horrible disease. But also a day of awareness. After so many years that is still necessary. Even more so since many governments are facing the harsh times we are in right now and are cutting down on almost all expenses. That means less money for research and treatment as well. It is a good thing that there are many NGO's who care.

When AIDS made its first victim's doctors were puzzled, not knowing what was going on. Rumors quickly spread and a lot of stories were made up. The first victims were all gay men and it did not take long before people were afraid to kiss gay men or even shake hands. Fortunately, we know better now although some false stories remain. "Where there's smoke, there is fire". I think it is better to look at the facts. 

In 1981 the first reports came in of men with a rare lung infection. Others had very rare skin cancer. By the end of the year, 270 cases were reported in America. 121 of those men already had died. The 'new' disease seemed only to affect gay men and therefore it was called Gay-related immune deficiency (or GRID). When in 1982 reports of women with the same symptoms came in the name was changed into Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In the same year, reports came in from Europe and Africa. And soon the world would know about AIDS is a very dangerous disease. Experts all over the world started to do research which resulted in tracking down the virus responsible in 1983 in France: Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus (or LAV) and in 1984 the National Cancer Institute: the retrovirus HTLV-III. At the time experts hoped there would be a vaccine within 2 years. That sure would have been great because the number of people with HIV/AIDS was skyrocketing. But since there has never been a medicine that could be used against a virus this was actually a dream. Of course, the scientists did everything they could but to this day there is still no cure. That does not mean we should panic because there are medicines that can slow down the virus or even stop it. In 1986 LAV/HTLV-III was no longer the name of the virus but it became HIV. A medicine was found to slow down the virus: AZT.

In 1991, the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus launched the Red Ribbon Project to create a symbol of compassion for people living with HIV and their carers. The red ribbon became an international symbol of AIDS awareness. In America, the Buddy project started. This was a program were volunteers took care of people with AIDS. That could be as help in housekeeping, personal care like washing but also a mental coach.

It would take until 1996 when there was a real break trough: a therapy with a combination of medicines that could suppress HIV so that the carers would not develop AIDS. This meant that people had to take about 30 tablets a day. And many were already resistant to the medication. It then was noticed that people who started as early as possible had the best chances. In 2008 it was announced that someone who got infected at the age of 20 could become 69 years old.

In 2015, for the first time scientists succeeded with an artificial protein, to elicit antibodies that can stop infection with HIV. This means that the development of a working HIV vaccine comes closer.

A lot of all the research all over the world was done thanks to AIDS foundations. Every foundation supports research but also helps people with HIV/AIDS by making sure that everybody in this world can get the right treatment.  

Together with the Dutch AIDS Foundation (they too support groups, researchers and patients all over the world) I agreed to donate 50% of the income of my book Kalapati to them. And what's more; you can win an Amazon gift card as well. December is the month of Christmas gifts after all. So why not treat yourself or a relative, friend? 

More details can be found on the website that is in English and Dutch Kalapati

Source: History 
Source in Dutch: Geschiedenis

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