Good News:
This Beatiful Child Was Born HIV-Free! Dear Sample A. Sample, When something doesn't happen, is it news? We think so. We were overjoyed when we heard that Rhonda's baby didn't contract HIV/AIDS from his mother when he was born last year! That means he won't have to suffer any of the dozens of diseases that could attack his immune system. He won't have to spend the rest of his life taking a prescription cocktail every day to keep HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) in check. Many of these medications have debilitating side effects. This baby wasn't just lucky. He is HIV-free today thanks to a critical collaborative between the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and the Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative (PACPI), designed to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to baby. When Rhonda found out she had HIV at her first prenatal visit, she wanted to end the pregnancy because she believed she would infect her baby. But a PACPI case manager gave her options and explained that, with medications and care from an HIV specialty obstetrician, there was more than a 99% chance her baby would be born healthy. From that day forward, the PACPI case manager worked closely with Rhonda to help her get to all of her prenatal appointments and follow her treatment schedule. After the baby was born, the case manager helped make sure he received the critical medications and pediatric care he needed to stay HIV-free. Without this special care, 1 in 4 HIV-positive women will transmit the virus to their baby. To date, NO PACPI clients have transmitted HIV to their newborns. This is GREAT NEWS— a 100% success rate! When Rhonda found out her baby was healthy, she was so encouraged that she volunteered to become a peer educator to help other women in the same situation. Rhonda did not give up! She reached out for help and education to learn about the virus. And today she is preparing to work on her college degree. Her family's success is due in large part to people like you who cared enough to help her. It is unfortunate that Rhonda was not as lucky as her baby. African-American women represent 68% of new female HIV cases in Illinois. Today, AIDS is the leading cause of death for African-American women between the ages of 24 and 34 in the U.S. And, the numbers are growing!
4 1 1 S o u t h We l l s St re e t , S u i t e 3 0 0 • C h i c a g o , I L 6 0 6 0 7 • w w w. a i d s c h i c a g o. o rg
Special 2006 Holiday Contribution Let’s make good news in the year ahead… Yes! I would like to help the AIDS Foundation of Chicago continue to fight the AIDS epidemic in Chicago. I have enclosed a check payable to “AFC”with my tax-deductible, year-end contribution of: <<< CONTRIBUTION FIELDS >>> ******************************AUTO ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Sample A. Sample 123 Any Street Anytown, US 12345-6789 CODE
Although treatments are allowing people to live longer and healthier lives, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. There is no vaccine. The ONLY real solution is prevention. Successfully protecting Rhonda's baby against HIV infection was a precious gift to his mother and family. It is also an important gift to society. The annual cost of treating an HIV-positive baby is $30,000 to $40,000. The lifetime cost to taxpayers, insurers, and medical facilities is $750,000. In Chicago, three people become infected with HIV every day. While the human cost of this statistic is sad and immeasurable, the actual cost to society in dollars and lost productivity is also profound! With more invested in prevention programs, much of the suffering and the economic burden could be avoided. At the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, we are making prevention news by working directly with service providers, employers, government agencies, and lawmakers, and by advocating on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. Your donation today will help us increase all our efforts! It will buy: Advocacy to ensure government entities sustain and expand healthcare programs, HIV prevention, and critically important research. Education that teaches thousands how to prevent HIV. Counseling for HIV-positive people to protect their partners. Hope that brings a meal or a safe night's rest for individuals or families whose lives are disrupted by HIV/AIDS illness. Political awareness so that government leaders do what is necessary to protect public health, prevent the disease, and defend the rights of HIV-positive people. Please help repeat more good news for people like Rhonda...news where people don't get sick...they don't die young...they don't pass the disease to others. If no one gets HIV/AIDS today, that will be the best news of all! Sincerely,
Mark Ishaug Executive Director P.S. Yes, we can greatly reduce HIV/AIDS in the Chicago area if we all care enough to make it happen. Please give us some good news today by making an holiday gift of hope.
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