More than 8,000 people came to Cheesman Park in Denver this morning to participate in the 24th annual AIDS Walk Colorado to continue to raise awareness and funds for HIV and AIDS research.
Some participants said this year’s walk is smaller than they have seen in the past. In 1997, more than 12,000 people registered for the walk and raised $1.4 million in proceeds.
“There is lots of donor fatigue,and people don’t think they need to support it any more,” said Tim Schuetz, spokesman for the Colorado AIDS Projects, the organization that puts on the walk.
As of March 2010, nearly 11,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in Colorado.
“People think it is under control. That couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Schuetz said.
Nationwide 56,000 people contract HIV each year, according to the Center for Disease Control.
There is no cure for the the infections, but the invention of Antriretrovials in the 90s has helped people live longer.
“AIDS has moved out of crisis mode to chronic mode,” Schuetz said.
At last year’s walk, which is one of the largest HIV/AIDS fundraisers in the Rocky Mountain Region, more than $400,000 was raised to benefit Colorado organizations.
Caitlin Gibbons: 303-954-1638 or cgibbons@denverpost.com
