A Way To Help!

I belong to a Writer's Group - not always one that operates like maybe what folks might consider a "normal" writer's group though in that these people talk and talk and boy, do they talk some more and often, the topics are not completely about writing.

We discuss all kinds of things - virtually everything from soup to nuts, as that old expression goes. Recently, there have been many postings about two particular topics - homelessness and AIDS. And, it is the latter of those two topics that I would like to talk, at least a little bit, about today.

We've all heard things on the news - TV, Radio, newspapers, magazines every where - about the problem of the AIDS disease. How scientists are working daily, striving to find a cure and in the meantime, also to find more drugs, better treatments to keep those affected living, just one day, one month and now, in many cases, some are being helped to live years with the disease.

Don't think as so many tend to do that AIDS is something that affects only the Gay Community now because if you do, you've fallen into a trap of misinformation. AIDS can very easily affect any of us - all of us! Sex is not the only way this is contracted and anyone can end up, inadvertently becoming ill with it and also, spreading it to others who least expect that they could get this terrible disease.

I am not going to go into details here of how easily it is spread. I am not going to go into detail here either about how many areas, world-wide, have been and are being inundated with this epidemic.

What I am going to do though is to point you to a fellow blogger's website - it's listed in the column to the right of this posting - Reading Rucker. Written by Linda Rucker, a writer from central Florida, she gives very detailed information about this disease and what is needed for people to do to help find a cure.

Because Linda believes so strongly in trying to help, she has set up a program through the publisher of her recent book "Dark Ridge" whereby any sale of a copy of her book, 50 cents from what she would normally earn will be donated to AIDS research.

You can learn all about her book, her donation program and how passionately she believes it is up to not just her but ALL of us to try to do our part to find more medicines to treat this illness as well as a cure to bring this to an end.

And, if after reading her posting, you are interested in helping this very important cause, order a copy of her book and you will have done three things that are all good for you. You'll have learned how important this research is to each of us - not just the Gay community. You will have contributed to helping fund the necessary research to find a cure. And finally, you will have a new book to read!

And, if your friends and family members all like to read too, order a couple copies of Linda's book and give them as gifts for Christmas, birthday - any occasion whatsoever!

But ultimately, you will have done yourself the biggest favor possible by trying to prevent the spread of this disease and thus, by learning more about AIDS, you can learn how to keep yourself healthier in the process too!

Go do it - NOW! Read Linda's blog, order a copy of her book, "Dark Ridge" and together, we can all work to eliminate this terrible disease!