Help for AIDS clinic

By Staff Reports

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By far, the leading cause of death for Americans ages 25 to 44 is unintended accidents, such as auto fatalities. But for one subgroup -- African-American women in that same age category -- HIV/AIDS has become the leading cause of death.

Black Americans of both sexes suffer disproportionately from HIV and AIDS. And the Southeast has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS cases in the nation.

Those statistics are reflected in the clientele at Rock Hill's Catawba Care Coalition clinic, which is devoted specifically to treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. Two-thirds of the clients are from racial and ethnic minority groups.

Now, thanks to an infusion of $60,000 from a regional grant, this nonprofit clinic will be able to expand its outreach to minorities.

"The cost of care is rising, so every year just to provide the same services costs more," said Anita Case, the clinic's director. "We're really kind of raising the bar on the care we're providing. This will help us be able to do that."

Catawba Care has been blessed by generosity before. Last year, a local developer stunned the clinic with a donation of 1.6 acres of prime real estate near Piedmont Medical Center. Catawba Care officials hope to build a larger headquarters on the land to replace the cramped offices on Camden Avenue.

That and more will be necessary to keep pace with the growing number of patients who are on the intensive drug maintenance program required to keep the disease at bay. Catawba Care is one of only two clinics in the state to provide one-stop care, including medical, counseling and prevention services. The only other clinic like it is in Florence.

This clinic is providing a necessary service not only for Rock Hill residents but also for patients throughout the region. We hope that as outreach and prevention services are broadened, the number of people infected with this disease will begin to decrease.

But the problem is large and the clinic's resources are relatively small. We salute those who work hard to serve these people in desperate need, and hope they continue to receive what they need to continue this vital work.