Every month not only has major holidays, they also have important causes that require increased levels of awareness. December 1 is World AIDS Day and the rest of the month is AIDS Awareness Month. The goal of the month is to educate people about the prevalence of this deadly disease that has infected millions of people globally and is still a major threat.
This can be a very important time because, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, a growing number of people are less concerned about contracting AIDS. Approximately 50,000 Americans contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, annually, and the CDC estimates that one in five carriers does not know they’re infected.
Businesses can promote awareness and get involved with the cause by adapting their promotional marketing products. By participating in AIDS Awareness Month, owners may help their customers realize how important it is to have themselves tested and do their best to stay healthy by taking necessary precautions.
Red Ribbon Campaign
As with all causes, AIDS Awareness Month has a colored ribbon. Where breast cancer has a pink one and yellow denotes support for military personnel, AIDS has a red ribbon. The goal of the ribbon is to give people a small token to demonstrate their awareness of the disease.
If you want to participate in AIDS Awareness Month, you can distribute promotional items bearing the red symbol. Many popular giveaways have been redesigned to reflect December’s important cause and help raise awareness for the disease that affects so many people.
There are promotional key rings and flash drives modeled after a red ribbon, so consumers can have one on their person all year. Ribbons can be embossed on pens and printed on the pages within wall calendars. Owners can find any gift and make it part of the cause so customers learn about AIDS and what they can do to prevent its spread.
Doctors can do their part
No industry can raise AIDS awareness quite as high as the medical field can. Doctors advocate good health all year, but December allows them to focus on a particular disease that may not concern many of their patients. It’s imperative that physicians encourage their clients to seek testing, especially if they’re at risk.
If you work in a practice and are concerned about your patients and their potential exposure to HIV, you should encourage them to learn about the virus and the health risks associated with it. You can also explain the facts to them and give them reminders about staying healthy. You may want to consider distributing promotional wall calendars that recommend regular checkups throughout the year to ensure that patients are thinking about AIDS not only in December, but all year.
Unfortunately, doctors can’t diagnose every client before they’re infected with HIV. AIDS treatments require massive lifestyle changes, as patients must adhere to strict medicinal schedules and visit their doctors regularly. This can be jarring for victims, as they have to completely adjust their routines to include new tasks that they’d never previously considered. A physician can give a pocket calendar to a patient afflicted with HIV or AIDS, so he or she can see what the new schedule looks like on a daily basis.
Raising AIDS awareness in December can help save lives. While medical research inches closer toward developing a cure, it’s important that people stay informed and take precautions so they avoid contracting or spreading the disease.