Lynn C. Woolsey: “20 years ago, HIV and AIDS was thought to affect only gay, white men. Time has proved otherwise. We now know that HIV…”

“20 years ago, HIV and AIDS was thought to affect only gay, white men. Time has proved otherwise. We now know that HIV and AIDS does not discriminate. It reaches out to men, women, and children of all ages in every social and economic group of every race and in every country in the world. I live in Petaluma, California. A good friend of mine was the first woman to die of AIDS in Sonoma County 10 years ago. I can remember when the subject of AIDS first came up 10 years before that. She and I had lunch together, and we were sitting and talking, and trying to figure out actually what this disease was and how to prevent it, and why it was spreading so rapidly around the country. Twenty years ago, people afflicted with HIV-AIDS had little or no chance to enjoy a good quality of life. Thankfully, scientific research has led to successful life-prolonging therapies, but the epidemic is far, far from over. I am proud to represent a district that is committed to fighting the spread of the HIV virus.”