HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (#HLTSAD) is observed annually on June 5June 5 to honor the resilience of individuals living with HIV and raise awareness about their ongoing health and social needs. The date marks the anniversary of the first official report of AIDS cases in 1981.
Significance of the Day
- The Date: June 5 was chosen because it is the exact day in 1981 when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first documented cases of a rare pneumonia that would later be known as AIDS.
- The Survivors: The day highlights groups such as long-term survivors diagnosed before effective treatments (HAART) were introduced in 1996, those living with HIV for over 10 years, and lifetime survivors (or "Dandelions") who acquired HIV at birth