Friday, December 08, 2006

Light a Candle for Hope

Today, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the pharmaceutical monolith that charges nearly $1,000 for a 30 day supply of one of its HIV/AIDS medications, is donating $1 to the National AIDS Fund for each person who simply visits their website and "virtually lights a candle."

The tally is over 900,000 now.Please take a minute to "light a candle": https://www.lighttounite.org/

This really will take just a second, promise! :) And feel free to forward on to friends.

Light a candle for Hope, Faith, and Love. For your friends, your family, and those you don't know who are or will be affected by this awful disease.

I read a book when I was a sophomore in high school by Ryan White, who died from AIDS during his writing time. He was born December 6, 1971. The doctors told his parents that he was a Hemophiliac, which meant that anytime he got a cut they had to give him Factor VIII, and the dose that they gave him came from a man that was infected with AIDS. They had no extensive testing back then (1983). He became the poster child for AIDS, visited Michael Jackson's ranch many times, got to spend time with Elton John, and many others. He lived with AIDS for 7 years. He was strong and I admire his family for not treating him any differently and his friends. He left this world on Brooke's birthday April 8, 1990. Here's to you Ryan and the difference you have certainly made in my life. I dedicate this post to you and your family. You were an amazing kid, and I could read "your story" over and over again. So well, written and so meaningful. I hope that more students have the opportunity to read your student.

I was doing a bookreport when I happened upon this book and I was hooked. Hooked for life and so much that I would read it several more times before I graduated. I sat on the fence at the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo and cried as I read through this book. I was told that I was not allowed to bring reading material with me again. It was addicting and I could read the whole thing in one night, and it even inspired me to read it again. It never gets old. I LOVE IT!!! I recommend that you pick up "Ryan White: My Own Story" from your local library or Barnes & Nobles and give it a read. It cost me $7.00 at Barnes & Nobles, pretty cheap for a book I love.

May God bless all that are living with or will contract AIDS.

No comments: