BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On Tuesday, November 29, the Office of Student Life at Bakersfield College will host the first of what they hope will become an annual AIDS Awareness Symposium on the Panorama Campus.
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just over a million people in the United States have received an HIV diagnosis.
With the right kind of medical support, a person diagnosed with HIV can prevent the disease from progressing into AIDS, but the medication can be expensive, and keeping an eye on the disease's progression requires close and frequent contact with a doctor for bloodwork.
The AIDS Awareness Symposium is being brought to the BC campus as part of the Office of Student Life's LGBTQIA+ Initiatives. According to a BC press release, the college will be raising awareness on HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and support, as well as dispelling myths and rumors about HIV/AIDS.
The Symposium will bring together local medical, legal, and community support services to discuss HIV/AIDS, including representatives from OASIS Legal Services, BC Student Health and Wellness, and Kern Public Health. The keynote speaker will be Audrey Chaves with the Bakersfield AIDS Project.
The first annual AIDS Awareness Symposium at Bakersfield College will take place on November 29 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm in the Renegade Ballroom on the third floor of the Campus Center building. Lunch will be provided.
Space is limited and available by registration. To RSVP, please fill out the form at this link.
