35 percent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2010 were between the ages of 15 and 29, according to the Center of Disease Control. A central Nebraska college is taking strides to support those affected by a disease that many people don't want to talk about.
"I'm here to tell you people are still getting HIV in the state of Nebraska at the rate of about every 3 days, someone gets an HIV diagnosis. They're not always in Omaha, they're not always in Lincoln. Some of them are out here living amongst you in your community."
Strong words from Cindy White, who's lived with the disease since 1983, speaking at Sunday's AIDS walk and 5K at Hastings College.
She addressed students and community members prior to the event to make sure the disease isn't forgotten; reinforcing the significance of the disease and forcing people to talk about it.
"It depends on the generation. The generation like my age, we forget about it because we weren't around when the epidemic started, so I think it's forgotten," said AIDS Walk planning committee member Helene Flaxbeard. "But for the older generations it might be more of a stigma type of situation."
200 participants helped raise almost $4,000 for the Nebraska AIDS project.
