HIV/AIDS educators Kerry and Helen Ryan are busy visiting Catholic schools in south-east Queensland in the countdown to Schoolies Week celebrations on the Gold Coast.
Schoolies Week, an annual students’ celebration at the end of their final year of school, is on from November 22-30.
“We’re always run off our feet at this time of year as schools contact us to pass on HIV/AIDS information particularly to Year 12 students, many of whom are planning to take part in Schoolies celebrations,” Mrs Ryan said.
The husband-and-wife team, who form the Centacare ministry Shiloh, have passed on their sobering message about HIV/AIDS statistics in Australia to more than 200,000 young Australians in schools from Sydney to Brisbane.
Shiloh was launched in 1996 with support from then Auxiliary Bishop John Gerry of Brisbane.
Mrs Ryan said the response from school communities in the years since then had been “extraordinary”.
“After our talks teachers often come up and say the lessons should be compulsory,” she said.
“We’re expanding into (other) private as well as Catholic schools at the moment.
“Last year we visited Brisbane Grammar for the first time (and) not long after our visit a group of Year 11 students raised $2800 which they sent us towards Shiloh’s ongoing mission.
“Student’s from Coorparoo’s Loreto College have also raised $1500 every year for the past eight years.”
As part of this ongoing HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, Shiloh has contacted nearly 90 Queensland parishes for support with the World AIDS Day red-ribbon fundraiser.
“We now have volunteers who will be selling the ribbons outside churches on the weekend of November 29 and 30,” Mrs Ryan said.
Funds raised will support the work of Shiloh.
