Briar Hopley
LIFE REPORTER
Celebrities such as a few members of the cast from 1 girl 5 gays participated in The AIDS Walk for Life. PHOTO BY BRIAR HOPLEY
Walkers and volunteers came together on Sept. 25 for the annual Scotiabank AIDS Walk For Life, to promote awareness and raise funds for their cause.
“It’s a disease that affects everybody young or old, gay, straight, or bisexual. HIV doesn’t care who it attacks and if you have dreams, HIV doesn’t mind taking them away from you,” said James Dennie, a heterosexual living with HIV-AIDS.
Dennie, who was diagnosed with HIV ten years ago, has been living with AIDS since 2007, he said.
“[The event] also helps me with a frame of mind because I’m living a new lifestyle now and it’s hard … you don’t know where to start to try and find new relationships,” he said.
The walk began at the corner of Carlton and Church streets in downtown Toronto, and continued for five kilometers.
Hamal Docter, volunteer co-chair for the walk, has been living with HIV for nine years.
“They work in health promotion and prevention and they also provide services for people living with, affected by, and at risk for HIV-AIDS,” Docter said.
Docter said the event raised $420,000 last year, and hoped to raise $500,000 this year.
Jim Stone, volunteer chair of the event, said, “This kind of event makes people understand more, so that there is the correct information out there. There is no cure for HIV-AIDS and people need to know that.”
During a stop in Cawthra Square Park, volunteers gave out red carnations for walkers to place on the AIDS memorial in the park.
As participants came to the end of the walk, a stage had been set up for Jully Black, Toronto born singer and Juno Award winner, as well as Diggy from the Toronto band Down with Webster.