World AIDS Day celebrated

For the past three years, Barbara Hinnant of Kinston has lived with the knowledge that she is HIV-positive.

Hinnant joined several people Tuesday at St. Augustus AME Zion Church for World AIDS Day, which has been held every Dec. 1 since 1988. Hinnant said several local support groups have helped her along the way.

“I make sure I take the right medications to keep me healthy,” Hinnant said.

Hinnant celebrated the gift of life with those living with HIV and AIDS. Lenoir County Circle of Friends is a group that Hinnant said she cherishes; the group hosts monthly meetings at Lenoir Memorial Hospital’s Wellness Center.

Esther and Jerome Hines helped organize the group and conduct the monthly meetings. About 25 people first attended the meetings but the number has dwindled to around 10 people per month.

“Some people with HIV or AIDS sometimes lose faith because they don’t feel loved,” Jerome Hines said. “I want to help others gain strength and knowledge.”

Esther Hines said there has been a breakdown in support for those who need it most. Many with HIV or AIDS in Lenoir County feel alone, she said.

“There were abuses in the system and a lack of accountability,” Esther Hines said.

In a partnership among Circle of Friends, The African American Denominational Leadership Initiative, Physicians Pharmacy Alliance and the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine-HIV/AIDS REACH Out Program, Hines and others are working to make a difference in those living in Eastern North Carolina with the disease.

“African-Americans are impacted by HIV and AIDS more than any other ethnic group,” Hines said. “World AIDS Day honors the memory of those who have died from AIDS and who are still living with the disease.”

This year’s World AIDS Day theme was “Universal Access and Human Rights.” Physicians Pharmacy Alliance spokeswoman Andrea Eckberg discussed how important medications play a role in fighting HIV and AIDS.

An oral swab HIV and AIDS test was provided during the event. Hines said results for the test were available 20 minutes after the test was administered.

People nationwide paused Tuesday to celebrate World AIDS Day. According to officials, nearly 34 million worldwide are infected with HIV or AIDS.

Chris Lavender can be reached at 252-559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.