October 5, 2007

BIKE FOR A TYKE

Hodes and team will wear support for Caleb on their sleeves

When HIV-positive two-year old Caleb Glover was denied access to the swimming pool and showers at Alabama's Wales West RV Resort in July, the incident touched a nerve with members of the Campaign to End AIDS, who traveled from around the country to attend a Labor Day "family reunion" at Wales West. Now a leader in the world of AIDS cycling fundraising says his team is dedicating two rides to Caleb—one on World AIDS Day and one at California's AIDS LifeCycle—to raise awareness of the discrimination and stigma that HIV-positive people face. Some members of the team will wear jerseys with "Caleb" emblazoned on the arms.

Brian Hodes, captain of Team100, a group of 100 riders who last year raised the most money in the history the AIDS Lifecycle ride between San Francisco and Los Angeles, first heard about Caleb on Good Morning America in July. "I just couldn't believe this innocent child could be treated the way he was," said Hodes, a father of two young children.

The World AIDS Day ride that Hodes is dedicating to Caleb is one of his own creation. Hodes is organizing folks around the world to ride for 27 miles—the number of years since the start of the AIDS epidemic—on World AIDS Day, December 1, to raise awareness of HIV stigma. So far Hodes has spoken to people in England, Australia, Czechoslovakia about having bike rides in their own communities. In places where December 1 isn't exactly bike-riding weather, Hodes suggests spinning marathons, where people will join together and peddle on indoor bikes.

Silvia Glover, Caleb's foster mother, supports Hodes' efforts. "I'm totally blown away that people all the way in California heard about Caleb and want to raise awareness," Glover said. "It's such an honor and such a good opportunity." Right now Caleb's health is precarious because of complications from HIV and his medication, and he might have to have a feeding tube installed. "Caleb's had a harder time than most," she said. "But he's a fighter."

To find out how to participate in the World AIDS Day bike ride, e-mail brian@teamutac.com.

The Housing Works AIDS Issues Update is reported, written and edited by Diana Scholl, David Thorpe, Phil Fox Rose, Christine Campbell, terri smith-caronia and Housing Works staff. Send your feedback, leads and story ideas to d.scholl@housingworks.org.

You can reach us by phone at 212-967-1500 x168, by fax at 212-868-4222, and by email at d.scholl@housingworks.org. Housing Works provides housing, advocacy and services to homeless people living with AIDS and HIV. Housing Works is the nation's largest community-based AIDS organization and the nation's largest minority-controlled AIDS organization.

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