Jerald Mutia on Aids Awareness

credits jw2 photo

Soon after being announced as the ExpressMEN Model of the Year, I was given a short list of tasks. One, of which, was to write an article regarding AIDS Awareness. Initially, I was completely lost and a bit puzzled. For a moment, I questioned if I was competent enough to write just even a short paragraph on that topic. I don't possess a medical degree, nor was I a Public Health major. Sure, I've had short lectures regarding HIV and AIDS throughout several levels of my education: from sex education in grade school, to STD presentations in middle school, and health lessons in high school. But I hope, through my own small way I can share and provide some insights on this very important subject.

Overall, I'm just an average man with a basic knowledge of this very important topic. To be honest, I'm a little ashamed of being slightly unknowing of this issue. But as a result of this self-awareness, I came to the realization that I, myself, was the perfect example of the AIDS Awareness topic. It is the average person, like me, that can easily forget about the dangers and significant effects of the deadly disease. Every person should be educated and informed to protect themselves, as well as to protect others.

First of all, what is AIDS? It is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It's a disease of the immune system that can make a victim more susceptible to other diseases, such as infections and specific disorders. AIDS is a development of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

How does one get HIV? It can be transmitted when liquids of an infected person somehow enter the bloodstream of another person. It can be present in not just blood, but also breast milk. So an infant can be infected through breast feeding, a drug user can be infected through a dirty needle, and partners can obtain HIV just from oral sex.

Can you tell if someone has HIV or AIDS? There are several symptoms that can occur when a person is infected with HIV, but they aren't the best indicators for infection. In fact, some symptoms may not be apparent at all. Probably the most reliable way to determine whether someone has been infected is through an HIV/AIDS test. Websites such as hivtest.org provides a simple and convenient way to search for locations that provide nearby test centers.

Why is there so much emphasis on AIDS and HIV? These diseases have a major impact on our world population. According to an AIDS Marathon pamphlet I recently received, AIDS is the number one cause of death for people between the ages 15 and 59 WORLDWIDE! Over one MILLION Americans are infected with HIV. These figures alone are significant enough to recognize the effects this disease has around the globe.

What I mentioned above is just a short summary of the basic and important facts regarding AIDS. To further your span of knowledge, the following sites may provide insightful information. Take a moment to browse through a couple of them. One site demonstrates the assigned days for different cultures for AIDS Awareness. But you can make everyday AIDS Awareness day. Please remember that being informed, educated, aware, and careful can ultimately save our lives. For more useful sites, check out: aids.org, hhs.gov and hivtest.org

Have a safe and Happy Valentine's Day!

credits: Richeille

Jerald Mutia is not only this year's ExpressMEN of the year, sharing the title with Ethan James but at the same time Jerald also works for a research group at Berkeley. Last December, Jerald did not only charmed the competition judges that includes global brand Andrew Christian, Horizon Barcelona, On Display Men, but Jerald also charmed fashion and modeling sites like Connex 24.7 and Trey Cruz including asian sites Bisean and Asian Xhibit. Added to that our thousands of site readers responded through emails and shared their love and support for Jerald. Truly its inspiring to win an international modeling competition, despite this success, Jerald remains humble and proud of his Asian Heritage. Jerald also hopes that this event would help and inspire other models to just hold on to their dreams and work to convert these dreams into a reality. Jerald will also lead a major environmental campaign together with FUSE, which will premiere before the end of the month. During the competition, lots of readers tagged Jerald as the Zac Efron of Asia because of his winning charms, but the truth is Jerald is just like any ordinary guy, he is easy to be with, extremely friendly and its really so easy to like him. Jerald in this month's Aids Awareness Campaign together with Ethan James and Christopher Street Tv had proven that there's more to him than being Zac Efron of Asia, because definitely he has his own unique personality that shines through the feature. He is a smart young man, who can provide insightful and relevant opinions on important issues like AIDS and the environment, truly he is an inspiration to the countless youths and aspiring models. Jerald had conquered this year's most exciting modeling competition, he braved through all the challenges, and he sends a very strong message to everyone, that anyone can catch dreams. To know Jerald more click Jerald Mutia, for press and other inquiries feel free to contact Jerald or email us at ex_pressmen@hotmail.com or patric@nextmodelmen.com. Special thanks to Jerald's outstanding photographers: credits: Richeille and jw2 photo

Beyond the Street. Beyond Next ExpressMEN.

Aids Awareness Campaign

Presented by:

Ethan James and Jerald Mutia- 2008 ExpressMEN of the Year

Christopher Street Tv/ Off the Clock Productions

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