Fort Valley State University Kicks Off AIDS Awareness Campaign

In the U.S. more than one million people are living with HIV and/or AIDS. In Middle Georgia, more than half of the cases reported are African Americans. To raise awareness and start prevention, a $30,000 grant was given to Fort Valley State University, a school that prides itself on AIDS awareness.

Today hundreds of students kicked off this campaign by getting tested for the virus.

“It’s not a game, you’re dealing with life and death situations.  Having to see one of my (fraternity) brothers bury his brother changed my life and my outlook on what’s really important,” says student William Council.

Joanne Nobles, director of the FVSU’s Health Services Center says that there are an increasing number of college students at risk for this disease but they’re not the only ones.

“The numbers are showing us that in the black American community and in the South, those two entities are making the numbers rise. In black Americans, young, old, females, males, the numbers are growing.”