CONTACT INFORMATION
Benjamin L. Newbern
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Shoals Chamber of Commerce
Phone: (256) 764-4661
Fax: (256) 766-9017
prmarketing@shoalschamber.com

SHOALS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION TO
CO-SPONSOR NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY EVENT

Florence, Ala. – June 26, 2006
The Shoals Young Professionals Association (SYPA) announced today it will join with the Alabama Department of Public Health HIV/AIDS Division PHA I and the Alabama Department of Public Health STD Division PHA I in sponsoring an afterhours event in observance of National HIV Testing Day tomorrow evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Louie Louie's Martini Bar, inside Webster Hotel & Suites in Sheffield.

The event will be the first monthly afterhours networking event for the newly-formed professional organization, following its June 8 launch.

Representatives from the Alabama Department of Public Health will offer basic information and free confidential HIV testing. Individuals wishing to be tested may choose between an oral swab test, or the traditional blood test.

"As a civic organization, our goal is not only to identify young professionals and create social networking opportunities, but to use our strengths in promoting ways to help the Shoals community. With National HIV Testing Day, we saw an opportunity to continue to educate the public on a disease that knows no boundaries. Regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation - AIDS is an issue that has touched all walks of life for the past 25 years," said SYPA Outreach Vice Chair Heath Haddock.

Indeed, June 2006 marked 25 years since the discovery of HIV/AIDS. While tremendous strides have been made in treatment with antiretroviral medications and care, HIV/AIDS continues to infect approximately 40,000 new cases every year in the U.S. For 16 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tracked that approximately two-thirds of the 40,000 new cases are unaware of their positive HIV status, until they are already sick. Forty-five percent of diagnosed cases of HIV convert to AIDS within a year of their HIV test.

"These numbers tell us that people who are unaware of their positive status continue to transmit the virus. National HIV Testing Day is an promotional effort to identify people who are HIV-positive and don't know it so they can access care and treatment," said Bridget Byrd, HIV Program Coordinator at the Lauderdale County Health Department.

The event is open to the public.

For more information about the Shoals Young Professionals Association, contact Beth Haddock, SYPA President, at (256) 764-4661. For more information about National HIV Testing Day, contact Bridget Byrd, HIV Program Coordinator, Lauderdale County Health Department, at (256) 764-7453.

The Shoals Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit agency dedicated to promoting economic growth and enhance the quality of life for all Shoals citizens.