Central New York HIV Care Network to Hold Candlelight Vigil

by Maddie Dockery (NCC News)

Dec. 1, 2010, 11:27 a.m.

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Central New York HIV Care Network will hold its final World AIDS Day candlelight vigil tonight, before the network's funding runs out. The vigil will be held at the University United Methodist Church in Syracuse at 5 p.m.

This is the last time the network will be able to hold the vigil, as the state Health Department recently cut all of its funding.

The Vigil

Stephen, Waldron, Coordinator of the Central New York network, says the vigil will be an hour of remembrance for those who have died from AIDS. It will also reach out and provide support to those who are living with the virus now.

"It's something that we have done every World AIDS Day for a number of years to bring together people from the community, as part of a global effort to recognize the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic here and around the world," Waldron said.

The Next Step

The money that would have gone to the Central New York network, and ten other networks like it across the state, will now go toward providing direct care to patients with HIV or AIDS. This will include paying for medications for people who are uninsured.

Waldron says that the network is now looking into different sources of funding.

"We are currently look to see if there's any possibility of finding any alternative funding that would enable us to continue some of our functions," said Waldron. "So far we have not been successful."

If the network cannot find a new source of funds within the next few weeks, it will be forced to close at the end of December.

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