Nearly 30 years later, Dr. Shubhra Shetty can still see the scene at a New York medical center during the peak of the HIV epidemic.
Some people were bedridden, too weak to move. Others, plagued by a loss of appetite or constant illness, suffered weight loss, reduced to skeleton-like versions of their former selves.
The memories motivated Dr. Shetty to pursue this career path.
They are the reasons she stood in front of a group of about 50 students and community members Thursday at the United Neighborhood Centers' Progressive Center and rattled off HIV-related statistics, erasing any doubts the disease is still as powerful as it was 30 years ago.
"I think it used to be something that was talked about, but now that treatment is available, people think it's not as scary," said Dr. Shetty, the medical director of the HIV clinic at the Wright Center. "I try to educate people on the effects of the disease and what strategies they can take to prevent them from acquiring it."
Spearheaded by three area organizations, the event titled "Stop, Think, Act: An All-Ages AIDS Empowerment Workshop" featured a presentation by Dr. Shetty as well as several educational activities.
Held three days before National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the event highlighted the growing number of young women who test positive for HIV and the percentage of young woman informed about the disease.
Worldwide, women ages 15 to 24 account for 22 percent of all new infections and represent the age group most vulnerable to HIV, statistics show. To make matters worse, less than 30 percent of young women have "comprehensive and correct knowledge on HIV," research shows.
"It's pretty scary, but we have been pretty well educated about HIV through our careers," said Kelia Shelton, a senior at Scranton High School. "I hope there is a cure out there."
Standing at the doorway handing out goodie bags filled with informational packets and contraceptives, Cindy Kennedy, director of Circle of Care, Maternal and Family Health Services Inc., said the event is a "step in the right direction."
"It's all about education and awareness," she said. "If we can increase awareness and provide people with ways to significantly decrease their chance of getting HIV, we are headed the right way."
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