HopeHealth hosted its annual AIDSWalk on Saturday, December 6, at the Streater Community Center (301 N. Dargan Street in Florence) with the theme “Walk A While In My Boots.”

This year’s keynote speaker was HIV awareness advocate Johneri’O Scott. Scott has lived with HIV for over 10 years and now dedicates his life to advocacy and visibility for people living with HIV, turning his personal journey into a platform for transformation.

Scott has an especially relevant connection to the AIDSWalk event, as he learned of his HIV diagnosis by getting tested at HopeHealth. He shared, “This is a full circle moment. Ten years ago, I walked into HopeHealth, and my life changed. I wouldn’t be the person that I am today if it weren’t for HopeHealth.”

He continued, “What HopeHealth stands for – serving others, giving hope, changing lives – is not just a vision to me. It’s my testimony. I’ve never forgotten that day, back in May of 2015… I remember sitting in that small testing room, waiting to be told it was all a joke, but that didn’t happen. That was the day my life changed forever. That was the day my second chance began.”

On the importance of the event’s theme, Scott said, “When you walk around in my boots, you walk through fear, you walk through shame and confusion, but you also walk through healing, you walk through strength, and you walk through rebirth. Just know that HIV does not define you.”

In addition to an AIDSWalk 2025 T-shirt and lunch, attendees also enjoyed exciting prize giveaways, a resource fair, and a coffee bar.

AIDSWalk has been hosted by HopeHealth since 1993 and serves to bring awareness about the importance of prevention, treatment, and breaking the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.

HopeHealth provides free rapid HIV screenings, HIV education and awareness, and treatment options, including PrEP and PEP. Call (843) 667-9414 to learn more.

HopeHealth is a nonprofit leader in providing affordable, expert primary and specialty health care services for all ages in Florence, Aiken (Infectious Diseases), Clarendon, Orangeburg, and Williamsburg Counties. Our federally qualified health centers are the health care home of choice for nearly 85,000 patients. To become a patient, call 843-667-9414 or visit hope-health.org.

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For questions or more information, email mhanna@hope-health.org or call 843-432-2959.