Students make a difference in the fight against AIDS

Marking World AIDS Day the students and staff at Ecole secondaire publique Odyssee heard a strong and powerful message Friday that the Patrick4Life Foundation hopes will help them in the future to make smart choices in life.

The students started with an assembly that included watching the Patrick4Life AIDS Awareness video featuring Patrick Fortin, the young man who died at age 23 after contracting the disease from tainted blood products as a child following a blood infusion for his haemophilia.
The students and staff then moved outside to tie red ribbons on a small tree to represent the more than 25 million lives lost to the disease.

William Stuckless, SAC President for the senior grades says he could see his classmates throughout the auditorium having ‘ah hah’ moments realising not only that they have to make right choices in life but that they also can help make Patrick’s wish for zero AIDS a reality.

“The video really touched me because Patrick was just a boy like me. I want to inform others what it (AIDS) can do,” states Stuckless.

“If we all stick together and talk about it, we can change it ... that means as youth we can start making a difference.”

Natalie Dupuis, student council president for grades 7 and 8 agrees.

“I didn’t really take it serious before but I know we have to protect ourselves and learn to be careful because it can happen to anyone.”

Following the assembly the awareness video shot by local artist, Ed Regan featuring Patrick4Life Board members and Youth Ambassador, Jerri Clout played on monitors throughout the day and the youth brochure was distributed to each student.

Patrick’s mother Christine Fortin says she was pleased to see the students getting behind Patrick’s wish and that the four district school boards recognise the importance of HIV-AIDS education.