No longer making headline news or the topics for movie-of-the-week, HIV and AIDS seemingly have disappeared from society, right? Wrong! Five people worldwide die of AIDS every minute of every day. HIV has hit every corner of the world infecting millions of men, women, and children. It is estimated that 5 million were infected last year alone, and the numbers continue to increase.

Although medical advancements have been made to prolong the lives of those living with HIV, AIDS is far from gone. To keep the need in the forefront of our minds to find a cure, World AIDS Days is Dec. 1. Started in 1998, World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also raising awareness, educating, fighting prejudice, and reminding us there are still many things to be done in the fight against HIV/AIDS.