NCNW installs new officers, and hosts workshop on HIV/AIDS Awareness
Members and officers of the Darlington County Section of the National Council for Negro Women at their ceremony to install new officers on September 20, 2016.
Front row, left to right: Barbara Graham, President; Dorothy Heatley, First Vice President; Louise Jordan, Second Vice President; Mary Abraham, Secretary; Dr. Gwendolyn Coe, Treasurer; Liz Samuel.
Back row, left to right: Ralphine Boston; Joyce Thomas; Lilly Wingate, Chaplain; Joyce Franklin; Betty McQueen; Carolyn Benjamin, Parliamentarian; Carolyn Govan; Carolyn Marine.
Photo by Jana E. Pye
By Jana E. Pye, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
The women of the Darlington County Section of the National Council of Negro Women met on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 to install their newly elected officers. The group is comprised of professional women from the area to work together to advocate for issues within the community. President Barbara Graham hopes to extend the invitation to other women to join as the group seeks to increase their membership in the coming year.
The women hosted a workshop on HIV/AIDS awareness by Dr. Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dixon-Coe and Betty McQueen, sharing information that is currently being used in Marlboro County to teach individuals about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS.
etty McQueen and Dr. Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dixon-Coe shares information on HIV/AIDS with the Darlington County Section of the National Council of Negro Women on September 20, 2016. Photo by Jana E. Pye
“It is important that people know, especially women, that this disease is growing in numbers across the state,” said Coe. “Without proper protection, many women are at risk.”
Coe went on to share that myths still prevail about HIV, such as it can be spread by air, water, sweat, tears, closed mouth kissing, insects or pets, sharing toilets, food or drinks.
“HIV is transmitted by unprotected sexual contact, sharing needles to inject drugs, and during pregnancy from mother to baby,” continued Coe. “The problem is that in some relationships, women may not be aware that their partner has the disease. When you sleep with someone, you sleep with all the partners they have had in their past.”
She warned that the stigma given to people with the disease can be devastating, and often isolates them.
“People need to know that you are not a bad person if you contract this,” said Coe. “It may be contracted by a person that has only had one partner. Husbands can step out and have affairs, just as much as young unmarried people can be at risk. We need to make it clear that we all need be aware of the causes and treatments.”
Coe said that some of the stories of women who contracted HIV are heartbreaking, saying that they just were constantly sick and couldn’t get over illnesses only to find out that they unwittingly had the disease; the numbers of women over the age of 50 contracting the disease is growing – even in Darlington County.
Advice on how to protect yourself from HIV include:
• Get tested at least once, or more often if you are at risk
• Use condoms the right way every time you have sex
• Limit your number of sexual partners
• Don’t inject drugs, and do not share needles
• If you are at high risk, ask your health care provider for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is right for you.
• If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV within the last three days, ask a health care provider about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) right away. PEP can prevent HIV, but must be taken within 72 hours.
• Get tested and treated for other STDs.
To join the Darlington Section of NCNW, contact President Barbara Graham at: 843-731-1360.
The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) founded by Mary Bethune in 1935 is a non-profit organization with the mission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African-American women, their families and communities. NCNW fulfills this mission through research, advocacy, national and community-based services and programs in the United States and Africa. With its 28 national affiliate organizations and its more than 200 community-based sections, NCNW has an outreach to nearly four million women, all contributing to the peaceful solutions to the problems of human welfare and rights. To learn more, visit: ncnw.org.