On December 1st each year, people and organisations around the world join together to raise awareness about the global AIDS epidemic. This year is the 20th anniversary of World Aids Day, with the theme of “leadership.” The aim’s to highlight the need for innovation, vision and perseverance in the face of the AIDS challenge. The campaign calls on everyone to get involved instead of just governments, to take the initiative and provide leadership on AIDS.

Galaxy marks World AIDS Day 2008 with a special series of features, all of which you can check out below.

Soap star Matthew Bose speaks out... (Click here to listen)
It’s estimated that there are 70,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the UK at the moment, but around a third of them don’t realise they’re HIV positive. Matthew Bose, who’s best known for his role as Paul Lambert in Emmerdale, thinks we need to tackle the fear about dealing with AIDS and encourage everyone to get tested regularly. Listen to his interview here.

For details on what HIV testing involves click here 
And if you want to get tested, find you local NHS health service here

Educating young people... (Click here to listen)
People living with HIV/AIDS are often shunned by society because of the groups and communities with which they’re associated. Sally Kilner is the Youth and Schools Manager for the British Red Cross, so it’s her job to help young people to learn the truth about HIV/AIDS. She says this is vital because it’s the youth of today who’ll be responsible for helping the AIDS sufferers of tomorrow. Listen to what she’s got to say here. To find out what the British Red Cross is trying to teach young people, check out their teaching brief here. 

HIV/AIDS Treatments... (Click here to listen) 

There’s no cure for HIV and AIDS, but there is now hope for people who act quickly when they think they might be at risk. It comes in the form of a drug called PEP, which is a course of anti-HIV medication that needs to be taken daily over the course of a month. The drugs have been available for HIV prevention since the 1990s for health workers and, more recently, to people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex. PEP is not a cure for HIV and there’s no guarantee it will stop HIV from taking hold once the virus has entered the body.

Mark Thompson from the Terrence Higgins Trust tells us about PEP, plus we hear from Tom, who slept with a man who didn’t use a condom and suspects he may now be HIV positive. To listen to the audio, click here.
Scientists are continually working to improve and create new drugs to treat sufferers of HIV/AIDS. Nicky Perry’s a specialist HIV nurse and she tells us a bit about the help that’s available here.

For information on the treatment of HIV/AIDS click here and select the tab for 'Treatment & Care'

Getting help for sufferers' friends and family... (Click here to listen)
It’s not just people suffering with HIV/AIDS who are affected by their illness, it also has an impact on their family and friends. Jackie Pollock’s from an organisation called HIV and Aids Carers and Family Service Providers Scotland. To hear about the kind of help and support and organisation such as this can offer, click here.
Find out more information about this service here