Organization hosts kick off event on June 25th to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS
Cream City Medical Society (CCMS) will kick off National HIV Testing Day with its 7th Annual “Take the Test, Take Control” event on June 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club, 611 West Cherry Street.
The event will feature free confidential HIV testing onsite, interactive panel discussions, workshops, free food, entertainment for the entire family, as well as access to a variety of community resources. “Take the Test, Take Control” is hosted in collaboration with community organizations such as: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Cream City Medical Society, UMOS, Sixteenth Street Clinic, City of Milwaukee Health Department, Wisconsin Division of Public Health-HIV/AIDS Program, Black Health Coalition, Milwaukee LGBT Center, Running Rebels, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Rapper Prophetic, and Wisconsin’s Hip Hop Radio Station V100 F.M.
“Milwaukee County comprises over 50 percent of all cases of HIV/AIDS in the State. This is why it is so important for the entire community to take the test and take control by knowing their HIV status. As part of our mission, we must both address the needs of and advocate for the population we serve in Milwaukee County in order to attain better health outcomes for the citizens.” says, Dr. Alicia N. Walker, Pharmacist and President of The Cream City Medical Society.
Today, there are more than one million people living with HIV in the United States. It is estimated that about onefourth of those with HIV have not yet been diagnosed and are unaware of their infection. “To defeat HIV/AIDS, there needs to be a reduction in the number of people who become infected” states Dr. Natasha Travis of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Chair of the Milwaukee National Testing Day Committee.
To meet the needs of the community, this event is open to all Milwaukee residents who want to stop the spread of HIV through education and testing.
