GlobeMed at UNC turns it red for world AIDS day
Posted on Jan 15, 2010 by Tracy Fuad
GlobeMed at UNC Chapel Hill made a name for themselves on campus this year in commemorating World AIDS Day. GlobeMed at UNC collaborated with other student organizations to put on a week of Global Health related events and programming.
The week kicked off with a panel organized by GlobeMed’s GlobalHealthU committee. Though the committee included a lot of new members and freshmen, everyone was willing to do something they hadn’t done before, explained Co-President Hanna Ali.
"It was the first big event for the GlobalHealthU committee, and really brought us together," said Co-President Aurelien Vetil.
The panel included a UNC professor and two healthcare professionals. The speakers focused on universal access to healthcare and health as a human right, fitting in with the theme of this year’s World AIDS day.
“A lot of people were taking notes,” Ali said. “It was nice to see that people were learning something.”
The week culminated with “Turn It Red,” an event GlobeMed at UNC first organized last year by forming a human AIDS ribbon to raise awareness and support their partner organization
This year, GlobeMed hosted the event on the main quad just as the sun was setting. Attendees enjoyed donated hot cocoa and cookies with the purchase of a red glowstick, and were entered in lotteries for prizes donated by local businesses. The keynote speaker was Dr. Strauss, Executive Associate Provost at UNC Chapel Hill, who commemorated GlobeMed for their work on campus.
GlobeMed’s dedication throughout the week was so evident that one student wrote a letter to the editor at The Daily Tar Heel, UNC’s student paper. After watching GlobeMed students battle the rain to advertise their upcoming events, he declared that he would go to the event though it was the first time he’d heard of GlobeMed.
“People can see what kind of people are in GlobeMed—people who are dedicated and passionate about what they do,” said Ali.
UNC Chapel Hill’s is partnered with Health Alert Uganda, a grassroots organization that works with children affected by AIDS in Gulu, which is located in northern Uganda. Currently, the chapter is supporting Health Alert's PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS) program by funding a formula for mothers to use that decreases HIV transmission by almost 80%.
Co-President Ali went on a GROW trip to Gulu last year and describes Health Alert Uganda as a very impressive grassroots organization that takes every measure to take care of the children they help, which means not just getting them treatment but also making sure they are getting adequate nutrition and even making school visits.
“Health Alert goes the extra mile to make sure they are a good organization, and so do we,” said Ali. Holding engaging campus events like Turn It Red and collaborating with other groups on campus is an important way to advocate and raise awareness for far away communities like Gulu, Uganda, and this year's events successfully did just that.
GlobeMed at UNC Chapel Hill made a name for themselves on campus this year in commemorating World AIDS Day. GlobeMed at UNC collaborated with other student organizations to put on a week of Global Health related events and programming.
The week kicked off with a panel organized by GlobeMed’s GlobalHealthU committee. Though the committee included a lot of new members and freshmen, everyone was willing to do something they hadn’t done before, explained Co-President Hanna Ali.
"It was the first big event for the GlobalHealthU committee, and really brought us together," said Co-President Aurelien Vetil.
The panel included a UNC professor and two healthcare professionals. The speakers focused on universal access to healthcare and health as a human right, fitting in with the theme of this year’s World AIDS day.
“A lot of people were taking notes,” Ali said. “It was nice to see that people were learning something.”
The week culminated with “Turn It Red,” an event GlobeMed at UNC first organized last year by forming a human AIDS ribbon to raise awareness and support their partner organization
This year, GlobeMed hosted the event on the main quad just as the sun was setting. Attendees enjoyed donated hot cocoa and cookies with the purchase of a red glowstick, and were entered in lotteries for prizes donated by local businesses. The keynote speaker was Dr. Strauss, Executive Associate Provost at UNC Chapel Hill, who commemorated GlobeMed for their work on campus.
GlobeMed’s dedication throughout the week was so evident that one student wrote a letter to the editor at The Daily Tar Heel, UNC’s student paper. After watching GlobeMed students battle the rain to advertise their upcoming events, he declared that he would go to the event though it was the first time he’d heard of GlobeMed.
“People can see what kind of people are in GlobeMed—people who are dedicated and passionate about what they do,” said Ali.
UNC Chapel Hill’s is partnered with Health Alert Uganda, a grassroots organization that works with children affected by AIDS in Gulu, which is located in northern Uganda. Currently, the chapter is supporting Health Alert's PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS) program by funding a formula for mothers to use that decreases HIV transmission by almost 80%.
Co-President Ali went on a GROW trip to Gulu last year and describes Health Alert Uganda as a very impressive grassroots organization that takes every measure to take care of the children they help, which means not just getting them treatment but also making sure they are getting adequate nutrition and even making school visits.
“Health Alert goes the extra mile to make sure they are a good organization, and so do we,” said Ali. Holding engaging campus events like Turn It Red and collaborating with other groups on campus is an important way to advocate and raise awareness for far away communities like Gulu, Uganda, and this year's events successfully did just that.
