Thousands Walk for HIV/AIDS Awareness

Thousands gathered in Palm Springs Saturday for the 27th Annual Desert AIDS Walk.

This year more than 2,000 people and 100 volunteers took part in the annual fundraiser walk, which continues to grow every year, at Ruth Hardy Park. The walk helps raise awareness of what continues to be a significant health challenge worldwide. According to Desert AIDS Project, here in the Coachella Valley, people living with HIV is almost twice the national average.

“I think the need for awareness building for HIV and AIDS right now may be more critical than ever. I mean, at the height of the epidemic, it was a crisis, and the need for awareness was great, but over the last 20 years, I think it’s dwindled and I think people don’t realize what a crisis it continues to be,” said Darrell Tucci, Desert AIDS Project Chief Development Officer, “People live a very long time now which is a wonderful thing, but it’s still a very serious crisis, that in the end of the day is life threatening,” he added.

Desert Regional Medical Center has been a long time supporter of the Desert AIDS project and was a lead sponsor for Saturday’s event. Earlier this year, it also committed 1.5M to lead a campaign called ‘Get Tested Coachella Valley’ for the next three years. It allows people to get tested for HIV for free.

“The thing that is so wonderful about the campaign is that we have the testing van and we are able to go into communities and test people,” said Carolyn Caldwell, President/CEO at Desert Regional Medical Center.

Which in turn also reduces the spread of the disease.

“If we can find people who are positive for HIV and they’re not aware that they’re positive and we can get them into treatment quicker, it’s amazing the type of response they have. As well, they don’t unknowingly continue to infect other people,” Caldwell said.

“We know that the most powerful thing around the epidemic is to know ones status,” said Tucci.

The Desert AIDS Walk last year raised $250,000, this year it raised more than $300,000. The money will continue to help raise awareness of the virus and look into treatments and possible cures.

“I’ve been working in health care for well over 25 years. I remember when HIV and AIDS just so horrific, and so to now today we’re testing people, we have greater drugs and medication, and just to be able to imagine a world one day without aids is remarkable,” Caldwell said.