World AIDS Conference Day1

Last Night was the first day of the World AIDS Conference. 

Coming off of the ACTG meeting, moving to a cheaper hotel seemed to be just a little more exhausting. 
I didn't expect the thrill of the crowds to uplift my spirits (smaller meaner--from the ACTG) but in fact they did.  Partly, I felt more comfortable moving from a fancy hotel to the smaller Hampton Inn just up the road.  Here free breakfast, coffee and afternoon tea and cookies are served free!  Wifi is free!  How nice is that?  And though the issues of all World AIDS Conferences nag at the back of the brain (why do people have to travel for over an hour from their hotel, when there are a plethora of hotels in Washington proper?) In fact when John just walked up with a microwave popcorn bag, free from the lobby, I felt so bad and so good for where we are staying. So ok, I'm sorry about the travel and it sucks.!  These travel people should have their wrists slapped.

But, suffice it to say, yesterday and today have been exhausting.  Yesterday we viewed, Samantha, a woman's story of HIV. The film was made by John Waters and what a surprise to find that he helps  the John's Hopkins clinic and is friends with John G (not my husband) Bartlett as well as our friend Glenn Triesman frequently.  Wow.  It was a good start.

Saddies, John and I thought that the opening ceremony would be on TV,and thus darted out when the crowds were insane trying to get in.  And, of course there wasn't even a mention on the news that the conference had started, much less a video clip.  I remember Durban and Barcelona where that was all that was on TV.  Sigh.

We had highlights though today.  To get into the big sessions is now recognized as a feat. (what kind of planning went into this???) We stood in line for 20 minutes before the doors even opened for the Plenery session and then it was sort of like a "football" game in Spain.   I hope that Dr. Fauci, Phil Wilson and Hillary Clinton appreciate their "star power".  I cannot say that we did until they spoke. Though some people were unconvinced...those particularly are waiting for implementation of all the research done, were angry, but most of us were uplifted by the talks. 

(Dr. Anthony Fauci)

 

I love Hillary Clinton. She is a master.

 Here we see the possibility of an AIDS Free Generation... All three speakers talked about it.  Tony Fauci, Phil Wilson and Hillary Clinton.  Can it happen? Do we have the will?

I spent the rest of the day, working my way through posters and interesting presentations. Most of us pondered...do we have the will?  Will we put up the resources? I just don't know but I sure hope so.  I watched the protesters danced up in wildness....

And I went to more presentations about Co-Infections esp Hep B, Adherence and Caregiving and Ethics... I loved the condom brigade.

Let's hope that I am not the only one excited about the possibility of stamping out AIDS...Or, as Stephen Sondheim says, "Well...excited and scared..."  Somtimes I think that Into the Woods is a model for us all.  What a day.