Thousands walk to remember people who died from AIDS, fundraise for better treatments
SAN FRANCISCO - Thousands of participants walked a 5K in Golden Gate Park Sunday morning for the annual AIDS walk.
The event has a rich history in San Francisco. It started in 1987 and has raised $96 million since then. Just this year, fundraisers collected nearly $1 million more to benefit multiple Bay Area organizations.
Many people walk with someone on their mind. For Sabrina Silva, it's her dad.
"He passed away at the age of 37, I was 10, and it was the year that this walk started," said Silva. "…For me, makes me feel like I’m honoring his memory and giving love. Thirty-seven years ago it was a whole different landscape, so kind of shining a light that people just need love and support in whatever they’re going through."
Starwalker Troy Brunet has his own story. He's been walking this event for more than 25 years, and living with HIV for 30 years.
"I’m just grateful that I’m actually here. Because I survived it and a lot of people didn’t when they got treatment. So I’m very grateful, and I have to give back because people were there for me," said Brunet.
One of the ways those who have died from AIDS are remembered is through a huge quilt splayed out on the grass. It has more than 30 sections with eight names on each panel.
"The beauty of the quilt is it brings out every single emotion you could possibly think of; happiness, sadness, grief. All of it, bad, good. And people feel safe to be around it because you can feel what you want to feel," said Gert McMullin, who is known as the "mother of the quilt."
McMullin has been sewing the panels since 1987.
She laid it out so participants could see the names before starting the walk.
"You only see 32 (sections), we have 6,065 back in San Leandro. That’s 50,000 panels and 110,000 names, so that’s what they’re doing it for and many, many thousands more," said McMullin.
Although there is still no cure for AIDS, there are medications that can control HIV and prevent it from progressing. Nowadays, most people in the U.S. with HIV do not develop AIDS.
Still, organizers believe it's important to keep fundraising and hosting events like the AIDS walk, so we can continue to support those living with the disease.
"Most people with HIV are 50 or older. And so we have to take care of those people. There are long-term effects of the medications that could be affecting their liver, it could be diabetes, all kinds of things happening now," said organizer Bert Champagne.
He said it's also important to educate the next generation.
"Young people need to know the history. They also need to understand that there’s help out there. And we also need to let people know that if you become HIV positive, there’s all of these different organizations that you can go to that will help you," said Champagne.