Dorcas Young

It has been 17 years since “Philadelphia” was in movie theaters, 19 years since Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced he was HIV-positive and 26 years since Ryan White, the Indiana teenager who fought to end discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, was infected with HIV during a blood transfusion.

Since Ryan White passed away at the young age of 18, just months before Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, there have been great medical strides taken in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The virus is still shrouded in myth, though. Many people still believe that contracting HIV means a person has no chance for survival. As members of the health care community in Memphis, my colleagues and I battle this misconception every day. It is true that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS as of today; but through proper treatment, a person can live a long, healthy and productive life.

This treatment is not available only to the rich and famous like “Magic” Johnson. The Ryan White Program, a federally funded initiative that provides free primary medical and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS, is dedicated to getting HIV-positive, Memphis-area residents who cannot afford ongoing treatment the care they need and deserve.

In 2008, 42 percent of the people living with HIV/AIDS in Memphis were not receiving medical care for their disease. Regardless of poverty, substance abuse problems, and a lack of housing and insurance, these people should be receiving care. A simple lack of awareness of the program’s existence prevents many HIV-positive members of our community from seeking the help they need to survive.

This week, the Shelby County Government Division of Community Services is launching the “Know Now. Live Longer.” awareness campaign to educate the community about the free HIV/AIDS medical and support services available through the Memphis Ryan White Program. The goal of the campaign is twofold. First, we hope to educate the community about the services offered by the Ryan White Program, such as dental health care, HIV prescription assistance, medical care and health education workshops. Second, we plan to raise awareness that treatment for HIV/AIDS is available and makes it possible for those living with the disease to live long, healthy, productive lives.

The campaign targets minorities in eight Memphis-area counties in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, where 80.9 percent of those infected with HIV/AIDS are in the racial minority. It will include billboards, public service announcements, posters, bus ads, postcards, informational business cards, fliers, and social, online and traditional media to help get the word out about the program.

All of the campaign materials feature Memphis-area residents who are living with HIV. These campaign representatives are passionate about educating the community about how Ryan White Program services have improved their lives; many of them volunteer with our service providers, such as Friends For Life or the HIV Care Hotline.

Take, for instance, Nicole (we are not using full names in the campaign); she is a young, self-employed businesswoman who became infected with HIV after being sexually assaulted 14 years ago. Through the Ryan White Program, Nicole has received assistance in paying for her HIV medications and participated in classes to learn about HIV/AIDS and proper nutrition habits. She now serves as a peer mentor to community members who have been recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

“Know Now. Live Longer.” encourages Memphis-area residents to call the HIV Care Hotline at 1-877-HIV-KNOW (1-877-448-5669). The hotline connects callers with Memphis-area residents living with HIV, as well as nurses, who can answer questions about HIV/AIDS treatment and Ryan White Program services. The campaign also encourages them to visit www.hivmemphis.org, which features an overview of the program, details about the services offered, a searchable database of care providers, contact information for treatment and personal stories from HIV-positive Memphians.

My colleagues and I, along with the help of volunteers such as Nicole, work tirelessly to educate the community about the importance of seeking treatment for HIV/AIDS. If people “know now,” they can “live longer.” I hope that you share the “Know Now. Live Longer.” campaign Web site (www.hiv ­memphis.org) with friends, family, co-workers, church members and partners to help us spread the word in the area. With your help, all HIV/AIDS-positive Memphis-area residents can live long, healthy lives.

Just like “Magic” Johnson.

(Dorcas Young is the Ryan White program manager with the Shelby County Government Division of Community Services.)