Damien Center Marked World AIDS Day
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Damien Center kicked off a week of commemorative events on Monday, December 1, to mark World AIDS Day. The organization is focused on honoring lives lost, celebrating long-term HIV survivors, and educating the community on the extraordinary advancements made in treating the virus.
The week’s events began with a solemn Remembrance Ceremony at the Damien Center’s Mosaic Building Atrium, which included a candlelight moment of silence and featured panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt.
Alan Wichey, President and CEO of Damien Center, emphasized the importance of looking back while celebrating current medical progress.
“Every December 1st, every year, it’s an opportunity to remember the people and celebrate their lives. The people that are no longer with us and the people that are long-term survivors,” Wichey said. “We also had some long-term survivors sharing their stories about what it was like in the early years and the fear of dying and how the medications and the evolution of medications have really changed this disease so that people can live a long, healthy life, which is just extraordinary from where we’ve been to where we are now.”
The State of HIV in Indiana
Wichey noted that while treatment has progressed dramatically, awareness remains a critical issue in Indiana.
“One of the things that people are surprised when I tell them there are 2,000 to 3,000 people here in central Indiana that are living with HIV that are not in care,” Wichey explained.
He stressed the importance of knowing one’s status, noting that modern medications have made the virus untransmittable.
“If you are in care and if you’re taking your medications, you can live not only a healthy life, but you will not pass the virus on to other people. It’s what we call U=U or undetectable equals untransmittable.”
Commemoration Continues Friday
The Damien Center will continue its World AIDS Day programming this Friday, December 5, with an evening of special events at Cafe Oztara. Fireside Chat (5:30 p.m.): Staff will host a fireside chat discussing the current state of HIV in Indiana, the non-profit’s programs, and ongoing needs. Compassion Awards (6:30 p.m.): The annual Florence L. Elias Compassion Awards will be presented, recognizing staff and community members for their compassion, advocacy, and service.
Getting Involved
Wichey encouraged Hoosiers to get involved first by knowing their status.
“We offer free and confidential HIV testing and people can come in and get that any day of the week, Monday through Friday, and they can just show up or they can make an appointment either way.”
For those who wish to support the center, Wichey highlighted the need for volunteers. “We also need people to volunteer. You can go to our website, Damien, D-A-M-I-E-N.org, and right from there just click on the volunteer tab and sign up. And there’s all kinds of opportunities.”
For more information on testing, prevention, or events, visit http://www.damien.org.
