The San Francisco Bay Area was one of the places where the devastation of AIDS was first felt. It also was one of the places where standards of effective, compassionate care were first developed, and where research and treatment protocols were evaluated and established.
Today I find myself thinking about the many patients with HIV/AIDS and their partners and families with whom I have had the privilege of working over the years. And I think about my colleagues in clinical and research settings, whose work has been so important and humane.
It has been amazing to bear witness to the developing understanding of this complicated illness. Because of the effectiveness of current treatment, AIDS seems like a very different disease than it was 30 years ago. It used to be a death sentence. But now, for many in the United States, it has become a manageable, chronic illness. Still, there are many people in the United States who still suffer, and there are many places in the world where AIDS still ravages communities, and especially communities of women and children.
So today I think about those who have gone and those who were left behind. I think about those who still live with AIDS and those who care for them. To be sure, there have been many positive changes in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. But there is still a lot to do in other places in the world. It is no time to be complacent. It continues to be important to work aggressively in prevention and treatment efforts both at home and abroad.
But on this World AIDS Day, there is good reason for hope. And that is something to celebrate.
Many people in the United States don't know that there is a national memorial dedicated to those whose lives have been touched by AIDS. It is the beautiful National AIDS Memorial Grove, located in San Francisco. To find out more information, vist the website:
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