Fact of the week: American children

Did you know?

Nearly 16,000 American children under 19 are living with AIDS. That's almost the whole undergraduate population of Boston University.

Some people may think pediatric HIV/AIDS is eliminated in the United States. While breakthroughs in research have significantly reduced the number of mother-to-child transmissions of HIV in the U.S. in the past 20 years, and treatments have allowed HIV-positive children to live longer and healthier lives, there are still children across the country living with the disease.

Our two causes, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and One Heartland, have had a huge impact on reducing the number of new infections and raising awareness throughout the country.

One Heartland has camps in Willow River, Minnestoa, New York City, Malibu, California and Minneapolis to provide children and families affected by HIV and AIDS with healthy environments for personal growth and social development. Surveys have shown that campers who attended camp longer were significantly more likely to accept HIV/AIDS as part of their life.

All the services One Heartland provides each camper for a week of camp and year-long support costs $3,000. The families that send their children to camp are required to pay nothing. Fundraisers like Dance Marathon make this happen.

At Dance Marathon, we hold a special place in our hearts for the campers who have shared their stories with us every year.