UCSF Teams Join Successful AIDS Walk San Francisco

The foggy summer skies didn't dampen the enthusiasm of scores of folks who participated in the annual AIDS Walk San Francisco on July 17.

AIDS Walk organizers are in the process of tallying all of the team results from the 10-kilometer trek, which raised more than $3.6 million, according to Matty Lutes, AIDS Walk San Francisco team coordinator. "It was an amazing day in Golden Gate Park and a terrific job by all of you to raise much needed funds and make it fun and festive for your team members," Lutes says. "Thank you very much for all that you have done throughout this year's campaign to help us change the course of the epidemic!" This year, UCSF put a new twist on the walkathon, which raises funds for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and scores of other Bay Area service organizations, including the UCSF AIDS Health Project. Led by Orlando Elizondo, event organizer at UCSF, the campus offered its first AIDS Walk competition.

Catherine Dodd, doctoral student, with Mary Foley, graduate student, UCSF School of Nursing, their dog Teddy and Angel Reissland.

The campus community will be informed in mid-August on which UCSF team registered the most walkers and who raised the most money, says Elizondo, director of community relations in UCSF's Community and Governmental Relations. Watch UCSF Today for final results.

Roz Tuttle, Student Academic Services, Dean's Office, UCSF School of Dentistry, Alan Chong, Reimbursement Services, UCSF Medical Center and Mark Laret, chief executive officer of UCSF Medical Center.

The UCSF team that had the most walkers will win the first-ever AIDS Walk San Francisco trophy, a bronzed running shoe once worn by Chancellor Mike Bishop. The person who brings in the most money will win a brand new Apple IBOOK G4 portable computer with built in wireless. The high-tech prize was donated by Campus Life Services.

Jack Webster, Information Technology Services

Among those to take to the streets on July 17 was Jack Webster, who works for Information Technology Services at UCSF. Amazingly, this was Webster's 17th year of walking in the event. Over the years, he's raised about $50,000, according to his estimate. "I walk to remember the more than 100 people that I've known over the years who have lost their lives to this disease," Webster says. "Many of those people were very close friends of mine and their names are all hand-written on the memorial shirt that I wear every year during the walk. The funds I raise honor those people and help people living with HIV in the Bay Area. I've been blessed in my lifetime and it's my way of giving back. It makes me feel like I've made a difference." For a sampling of what brought other UCSF employees and their families and friends to Sharon Meadows on a Sunday morning, read on. 'Why I Walked' The reason I walked was to help raise awareness for young people who might not understand that AIDS affects everyone and, until a cure is found, education about AIDS is the key to prevention and understanding.
Ingrid Reissland, UCSF Budget and Resource Management The reason why I walked is because I wanted to walk with my mom and Kim. We support the AIDS Walk and each other. I also wanted to raise money for the AIDS Walk and support everyone who also joined us to walk 6.2 miles.
Angel Reissland, 12, daughter of Ingrid Reissland I walked for the cause, the health benefits and the camaraderie of the UCSF team.
Alan Chong, UCSF Medical Center, Reimbursement Services

Oswaldo Robelo, Campus Housing, with his family and friends. (Photo courtesy of Oswaldo Robelo)

The Robelo family walks in honor of Oswaldo's late brother, Alejandro, who succumbed to AIDS over a decade ago. We walk to help find a cure so that others will not need to suffer as he did and to continue to raise awareness and generate support for this dreaded disease. It's a disease that has touched several continents and a multitude of nations. May Alejandro know we are fighting for a cure.
Oswaldo Robelo, Campus Housing, Facilities Management When I first walked in 1987 it was because so many friends had died and the government wasn't doing enough so we had to do more. In 2005, the epidemic is still here, our federal government is cutting programs and we have to do more. The walk is so different today, so many different sponsors, so many different people. UCSF has been there from the beginning; hopefully we'll see the end in our lifetimes.
Catherine Dodd, doctoral student, Social and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF School of Nursing Photos by Christine Jegan Source: Lisa Cisneros