This year is the 20th an­niver­sary of the Northwest AIDS Walk. A whole generation has passed. Twenty years ago, AIDS was considered a gay man’s disease and a death sentence. The U.S. government was just beginning to ac­knowl­edge the existence of AIDS, half a decade after it had first been recognized by health au­thor­i­ties, and thousands had died.

AIDS is still a serious problem, but the de­vel­op­ment of an­ti­retro­vi­ral drugs a decade ago means that people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives than before. More than 1 million Americans are now living with HIV/AIDS: 9,000 of them in King County. 40,000 people are infected every year in the U.S., and most new infections are among African-Americans. The U.S. is getting off relatively lightly: about one-fifth of the adults in southern Africa have HIV! Nearly 40 milllion people are living with HIV around the world, and another 25 million are dead.

The Lifelong AIDS Alliance provides a variety of services to those living with HIV/AIDS in Washington State. I’ve walked in the AIDS Walk every year since 1992 and I’ve raised thousands of dollars for AIDS services and awareness.

Please help me meet my fundrais­ing goal of $1000 this year by sponsoring me at my AIDS Walk page. I will be walking on September 9th.

I thank you, the Lifelong AIDS Alliance thanks you, and the people you help thank you.

Update: Go to http://www.georgevreil­ly.com/aidswalk to sponsor me.