Rock the Ribbon This Thursday [PHIL-OSOPHY]

A groundbreaking prevention campaign coming to New Bedford is taking the world by storm.

Undetectable = Untransmittable, otherwise known as U = U, has been going viral on most HIV/AIDS websites over the last few months. So what exactly is U = U and what does it mean for the average person living with HIV on the SouthCoast?

In a nutshell, U = U means that people living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral therapy and have been undetectable for at least six months cannot infect others through sexual transmission. This is huge, but even after pivotal studies reported this great news, the message was not reaching the community and those who could most benefit.

Enter Maria Alves, Program Manager for Seven Hills Behavioral Health Prevention and Screening Program, who asked me to help get the word out. It's a shame that in an era of instant and global communications, we're not reaching people in our own backyard about happy news like this.

So, join us on the steps of the New Bedford City Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 29 for "Rock the Ribbon." After a brief welcome and messages, we'll form a procession and walk to the Pilgrim United Church of Christ for a speakers program, special performance by Austin, and light food reception.

If you could help take on the mission of spreading this post and the message of U = U to all of your social media friends, that would be so awesome! Let's spread the good news. Maria Alves will give you any additional information at (508) 996-0546 ext. 3703.

This year's theme for World AIDS Day on December 1st is "Know Your Status," supporting the U = U premise.

Deep appreciation is extended to: the City of New Bedford, New Bedford Department of Public Health, New Bedford Police Department, Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, Health Imperatives, Walgreens, World AIDS Day, Seven Hills Behavioral Health, and 1420 WBSM and FUN107.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on twitter @PhilPaleologos.