Annual AIDS Walk brings thousands to Golden Gate Park on Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO — Approximately 2,000 people marched through Golden Gate Park on Sunday for the annual AIDS Walk San Francisco.

Among those in attendance were Susan McClain and her daughter.

“It’s hard to believe — I’m 55 — and, in 1985, it was thought to be over. We’d find a cure. But, unfortunately, we’re still fighting,” she said.

People have been coming together for this walk since the 1980s as a way to raise awareness, education and money for HIV-AIDS research.

Event director Bert Champagne was pleased with the turnout, even though the walk didn’t draw quite the crowd it once did.

“There are so many wonderful people out here supporting people with HIV. We’re very excited about this year,” he said. “There are so many things that are going right for people with AIDS but people are still dying and people are still needing our services.”

About 3,400 people showed up for the first AIDS Walk San Francisco in 1987. The epidemic would get worse from that point for several more years.

In 1992, cases peaked in San Francisco. In 1994, AIDS became the leading cause of death for all Americans between 25-44, according to a University of California San Francisco timeline.

Since then, a lot has changed. New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have significantly declined and treatments have significantly advanced. Still, there is no cure.

That was on Lee Johansen’s mind as he absorbed some of the stories and tributes seen on the AIDS Quilt at the walk.

“So many individuals’ stories. It tears you up inside,” he said. “People are still getting infected. Perhaps not at the rates they used to be infected but it’s still a problem. Just because we have drugs today that can make it tolerable to live with doesn’t mean it’s gone away.”

Promoting education and awareness and keeping the story alive — those are two reasons why McClain decided to show up on Sunday.

“It’s something that still needs to be talked about,” she said. “People are still passing away from AIDS. We still need to do more in awareness for our young people to know today that it is still something that we fight to this day.”

The event had raised around $1 million by the start, according to Champagne. Proceeds will benefit 15 AIDS-service organizations.