news release

 

ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive

JOSHUA LIPSMAN, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health

 SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

 

 

CONTACT:

                               MARY LANDRIGAN                                                                 (914) 813-5013

                                    (HEALTH PIO)                                                                        (914) 813-5000 (After Hours)

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                 November 30, 2004

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY COMMEMORATES WORLD AIDS DAY
Residents are encouraged to participate in World AIDS Day events

 

From Botswana to Guatamala, Honduras to Italy, the world will unite on December 1st in recognition of World AIDS Day. Westchester County is no exception and will be the site of a myriad of World AIDS day activities.

“When people think of HIV/AIDS, they don’t realize how prevalent HIV/AIDS is in our own communities” said Joshua Lipsman, M.D., M.P.H, Westchester County Health Commissioner. “Many people would be surprised to learn that outside of New York City, Westchester County has the highest number of cases of HIV disease in the state,” added Dr. Lipsman.

In the United States, up to 950,000 Americans are estimated to have HIV, with 40,000 new infections every year. In New York State, Westchester County has the highest number of cases of AIDS and the highest number of cases of HIV.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, the Westchester County Department of Health will be hosting a conference, “The Down Low and HIV: What is the Connection?” on Friday, December 3 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains. Featured speakers include Keith Boykin, lecturer and award-winning author; Patricia Nalls, Community AIDS activist for the rights of women living with HIV and their families; and Dr. Lisa Hightow, lead author of a study on a University of North Carolina outbreak of HIV among male college students.

This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS,” which reflects on how

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HIV/AIDS has significantly increased among women. Women now make up half of all people living with HIV worldwide. In Westchester County, women are contracting the disease more than ever before. Among women, middle-aged minorities are at greatest risk. “Data indicate that compared to their male counterparts, black, non-Hispanic women have a higher rate of HIV/AIDS infection, as do all women between 40 and 49 years of age” said Dr. Lipsman. 

The December 3rd conference  will focus on a common avenue of HIV/AIDS transmission among African-American women. African-American women between the ages of 30 and 50 who are in heterosexual relationships with men who are having sex with other men on “the down low” are particularly vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS.  Recent national studies suggest that 30% of all black bisexual men may be infected with HIV, and up to 90% of those men do not know that they are infected. Researchers for the CDC have referred to these men as a “bridge” to infection from gay men to heterosexual women.

World AIDS Day events are occurring throughout Westchester County. Included are the following:

The Westchester Chapter of the United Nations Association of the U.S.A. will hold a forum on Sunday,

December 5th, “HIV/AIDS – a Global and Local Issue!”  The keynote speaker will be Dr. Allan Rosenfield, Dean of the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University.  He will be joined by a representative of UNAIDS and by student activist Kelley Cope. The forum will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the new Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh 10607 (off Route 119).  The public is welcome, free of charge.  Light refreshments will be served.  Call 914-478-3450 for more information or visit www.stratdev.com/UNA-USA/

- World AIDS Day Ceremony at 11:30am on December 1st, Mt. Vernon City Hall, City Hall Rotunda (open to the public).  For further information, contact Danielle Scholar, 914-699-7230. 

- The Mount Vernon Youth Council invites all youth ages 12-18 years old to “HIV… An

Issue for Everyone.”  3pm-7pm.   Mount Vernon Armory, 144 North 5th Ave., Mount Vernon, NY  10550.  Co-sponsored by The City of Mount Vernon (Mayor Ernest D. Davis), WestCOP and Family Services of Westchester.  RSVP to Tamara Berthaud at 914-668.9124 x 18.

 

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The following are events sponsored by Westchester Medical Center for Wednesday, December 1st:   

-         9:30am, Opening of the Quilts (WMC Interfaith Chapel)

-         10am-2pm, Information Table (University Hospital Main Lobby);

-         Noon, Interfaith Service for Wholeness (WMC Interfaith Chapel);

-         2pm, AIDS Care Center (ACC) Service of Remembrance (WMC Interfaith Chapel);

-         5pm, Closing of the Quilts (WMC Interfaith Chapel). 

For more information, contact Br. Richard John Lorino at 914-493-1292.

All of the following activities are for December 1st:

- White Plains Hospital Center (Davis Ave. @ E. Post Road) will be providing  education materials and information on HIV/AIDS in the lobby from 11:30am-1:30pm.  Contact Deborah Frantzen, Resource Clinician, 914-681-1194.

-         The Westchester Coalition on Global Poverty and AIDS (WCGPA) is hosting an event with various speakers and cultural performances.  The event is at 7pm at Memorial United Methodist Church, 250 Bryant Avenue in White Plains (between Mamaroneck Avenue and North Street).  Admission is free.  Donations will support three Westchester-based organizations providing treatment, care, and prevention services for HIV/AIDS in Africa.  Visit www.memorialmethodist.org or call 914-949-2146 for directions.  Free parking.  For further information, contact Ken Paterson at 914-337-4247 or Ron Mitchell at HAPNY@hotmail.com. 

 

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- The LOFT is screening the film “Red Ribbon Blues” starring RuPaul, Paul Mercurio, Debbie Mazar, and John Epperson at 7:30pm.  HIV/AIDS information will be available from ARCS, WCDOH, and NYU School of Medicine.  180 E. Post Road, White Plains.  Contact: Yvette 914-948-2932.

- December 1st: The following are events sponsored by the Yonkers HIV Providers’ Task Force (with the support of The Sharing Community, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, and Greyston Foundation) at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Getty Square unless other wise noted:

9:30am - Proclamation Ceremony at The Guild Room

10am- 3pm - The Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt Display

12pm – 1:30pm – Interfaith Vigil of Remembrance and Hope featuring the Lincoln High School Choir and the Greyston Health Services Theater Group

1:45 – 2:15pm – Acknowledgement Ceremony of Local Providers in the Guild Room

 

For more information and to register for the “The Down Low and HIV: What is the Connection?” conference on December 3rd, contact the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5256 or  email omb1@westchestergov.com.

 

 

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