AIDS Survivor Thrives as Activist, Advocate
Even though she takes 15 pills a day to stay alive, the AIDS survivor is still going strong and devoting her time to teaching others about the importance of making healthy life choices.
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December 10, 2009
Reverend Rae Lewis-Thornton was diagnosed with HIV in 1986 and developed full-blown AIDS in 1992. Still, even though she takes 15 pills a day to stay alive, the survivor is still going strong and devoting her time to teaching others about the importance of making healthy life choices.
Recently, the Emmy Award-winning activist visited the Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina, to share her life story and warn young women against decisions they may come to regret, according to Carolina Peacemaker.
"Some [women] have sex for a Coach handbag. Don't you think your stuff is worth more than 385 dollars?" she asked, quoted by the news provider.
"We can treat HIV, but the [goal] is never to get HIV or feel my pain," she added.
Despite having to deal with unimaginable tragedies throughout her life - Lewis-Thornton is also a childhood sex abuse survivor - the 46-year-old went on to thrive as a well-regarded activist, author, and is currently a PhD candidate at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 1,106,400 people in the U.S. were living with HIV at the end of 2006, with 21 percent of them undiagnosed.
During the current AIDS Awareness Month, it may be worth remembering that unprotected sex with individuals of unknown HIV status as well as sharing needles for the purpose of drug use are the most common ways of contracting the deadly virus; therefore refraining from this type of activity can greatly reduce the risk.
Among the many international, national and regional nonprofit organizations raising awareness and money for research are the Elton John AIDS Foundation as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Reverend Rae Lewis-Thornton was diagnosed with HIV in 1986 and developed full-blown AIDS in 1992. Still, even though she takes 15 pills a day to stay alive, the survivor is still going strong and devoting her time to teaching others about the importance of making healthy life choices.
Recently, the Emmy Award-winning activist visited the Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina, to share her life story and warn young women against decisions they may come to regret, according to Carolina Peacemaker.
"Some [women] have sex for a Coach handbag. Don't you think your stuff is worth more than 385 dollars?" she asked, quoted by the news provider.
"We can treat HIV, but the [goal] is never to get HIV or feel my pain," she added.
Despite having to deal with unimaginable tragedies throughout her life - Lewis-Thornton is also a childhood sex abuse survivor - the 46-year-old went on to thrive as a well-regarded activist, author, and is currently a PhD candidate at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 1,106,400 people in the U.S. were living with HIV at the end of 2006, with 21 percent of them undiagnosed.
During the current AIDS Awareness Month, it may be worth remembering that unprotected sex with individuals of unknown HIV status as well as sharing needles for the purpose of drug use are the most common ways of contracting the deadly virus; therefore refraining from this type of activity can greatly reduce the risk.
Among the many international, national and regional nonprofit organizations raising awareness and money for research are the Elton John AIDS Foundation as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
