South Carolina’s HIV and AIDS rates place our state in the top 10 in the nation. This is not a top 10 ranking any state wants to boast about. To be specific, the number of AIDS cases rose nearly 300% in 10 years, to 14,163 cases in 2008. The CDC named South Carolina one of the Top Ten HIV “hot spots” in the country. Are we proud yet?

This epidemic is affecting our female population dramatically. In 2007, over 3,600 AIDS cases in South Carolina were reported in female patients. That same year, female patients made up over 33% of the new AIDS cases in our state. AIDS is the third leading cause of death of women in the US, and 81% of them are African American or Hispanic. This simply mustn’t be ignored or swept under the rug.

HIV and AIDS are real threats. By ignoring or denying the problem and avoiding talking about possible solutions, we are opening the doors for our children to expose themselves. Future generations need to be warned about the causes of HIV and how to protect themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Comprehensive sex education in our schools will go a long way toward equipping them to do exactly that.

Tell Them is pleased and very proud to present Kay Chitty of Mt. Pleasant. Kay, a retired nurse, is a native South Carolinian, and recieved her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing degrees from Emory University and her doctorate from the University of Tennessee. Kay is a former Dean of the Univeristy of Tennessee at Chattanooga Schoolof Nursing, and as authored numerous articles and chapters for professional journals and books in addition to a best selling nursing textbook, Professional Nursing: Concepts and Challenges, now in its 6^th edition. She was named one of “the fifty most influential people in Chattanooga during the 20^th Century.”  Kay is a member of the Medical University of South Carolina Foundation Board, and is married to her college sweetheart and they have two adult children and three grandchildren.

One of Kay’s favorite quotes is from Margaret Mead:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Watch Kay as she speaks about the importance of speaking to young people about their options and how to protect themselves, and then join other committed, thoughtful citizens of South Carolina in the Virtual March.