For more information on participating in upcoming the AMP Study: ampstudy.org or 877-288-0048.
With the rising sun paving the way one brisk May morning, a sea of 134 cyclists eagerly set out on a 200 mile-long route across Georgia joined by one cause: the hope for an AIDS-free future in the horizon.
Cyclists and Emory University School of Medicine researchers gathered for a three-day celebration to continue a tradition born in 2003 when a group of some 16 cyclists returned to Atlanta inspired by a European HIV/AIDS awareness ride, filling the void in the city recently dubbed by leading researchers as the American epicenter of HIV infection spikes.
In this fourteenth year of the AIDS Vaccine 200 guided by the theme “Not That Far” the developments achieved by the Emory Vaccine Center and the Hope Clinic were recognized. These leading medical research centers work hand-in-hand to study the evolution of the virus and work towards generating a “safe and effective long-term memory vaccine,” says Dr. Rafi Ahmed, director of the Emory Vaccine Center.
The riders joined cyclists, including John Brown and Chris Arrington, this year’s AV200 ride directors to remember those who have lost their fight against AIDS and brought hope to HIV positive peers.
“We made a conscious effort this year to talk about it. I’ve lost a couple of friends to AIDS, I know a couple of people that are HIV positive,” said Brown, a six-year AV200 participant now leading the pack as co-ride director. “It’s really impacted the gay community and more than that, just the world in general and I want to make a difference. That’s why I ride.”
“If you ask me why I ride, I ride for my nieces and my nephews and to find a vaccine so that they’d never have to come into contact with this horrible disease,” Arrington added during the motivational kick-off dinner held at Emory.
This same commitment moved Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, to participate for the first time this year, training with his spouse since November to prepare.
“We do it in memory of Mike Kennedy,” Gonzalez said. “He passed too early, too young. Back then, there wasn’t enough treatment or support and visiting him during his last days in the hospital really hit us hard,” he added.
Witnessing first-hand how the withering effects the illness debilitated a loved one has driven Gonzalez further to reach out to his peers and the Latino community, a minority he feels is scarred by stigmas and thus turns the blind eye from fundamental knowledge about HIV prevention and treatment.
“As Latinos, we’re not comfortable talking about it.” Gonzalez said. “We could overcome it with education and information.”
The participation of the Hispanic community, although underrepresented in the cycling bunch, is critical for learning about the virus’ behavior in different groups, according to Mark Mulligan, executive director of the Hope Clinic which is currently enrolling uninfected volunteers for a national study developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases called the Antibody Mediated Prevention Study.
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