Rock On With Your Red Pumps...

Hello Loves. Happy Friday to you all!!

Today I am participating in the 'Rock the Red Pump' campaign along with thousands of other blogs in order to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in our country. The campaign is in its 4th year running and I must say that it feels awesome to be able to participate and contribute to such a great cause.

In recognition of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD), which is March 10th, the campaign’s goal is to generate conversation in the blogosphere about the issue of HIV/AIDS and how it affects women.

It's not always about giving money; sometimes the only thing that's needed is your time.

Chambray/Cardigan-NY & Co

"There are many reasons why it’s important for women to know the facts when it comes to HIV. Biologically, we’re more susceptible to infection during sex. We’re also more likely to get infected through heterosexual sex."

Here are some astounding facts about HIV/AIDS:

• There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. & almost 280,000 are women
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• In 2006, there were 15,000 new HIV infections and 9,801 AIDS cases diagnosed among women
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• HIV/AIDS is the 5th leading cause of death in women in the United States, ages 25-44
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• The largest number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses during recent years was for women aged 15–39
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• New York has the highest number of women living with AIDS – 22,532
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• Seven of the 10 states with the highest case rates among women are in the South
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• The rate of women in D.C. infected with HIV/AIDS is nearly 12 times the national average
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These statistics were from The Center for Disease Control’s website and the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Fact Sheets (which cited the CDC). You can get more information about the effect of the epidemic from these sites.

Skinnies-Ross

One of the first steps in the fight against HIV/AIDS is education and awareness.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a medical condition caused by the virus after someone’s been infected for awhile. HIV is the virus that we know causes AIDS. It enters the body and infects immune system cells, as well as other cells in the body — causing more copies of the virus to be produced. A person who has been infected with HIV is HIV-positive, but does not necessarily have AIDS.

 

There are many myths about how HIV is spread. You can’t acquire HIV by drinking from a water fountain, sitting on a toilet seat, hugging or touching an HIV-infected person, or by eating off plates and utensils. However, here are some ways HIV can be transmitted:

• By way of bodily fluids (blood, semen, and vaginal secretions) during sexual contact. Saliva is not considered a transmission route for HIV.
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• By sharing needles to inject drugs. Infected blood can be exchanged between the parties who are using the same needle and syringe.
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• Through the transfusion of infected blood or blood products
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• HIV-infected woman can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, during delivery, or while breast-feeding

You may learn more about HIV/AIDS by visiting the following sites:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AIDS Homepage
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Greater Than AIDS
MTV’s Get Yourself Tested
Black AIDS Institute
National Minority AIDS Council
Living Quilt
The Body
Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
National Association of People with AIDS

Pumps-F21/Bows-Target

I hope that this information was as insightful for you as it was for me. Even if you don't have a blog, rock on with your red pumps today. You may snap a photo in your favorite pair of red shoes and share them with the wonderful creators of the Red Pump Project via their Facebook page, Twitter, and/or Tumblr.

Thank You so much for reading.