Today’s a big day for college basketball fans, as it should be. It’s not everyday when two national contenders face off against one another in the season's most anticipated match.
However, it’s an even bigger day for the world. Today marks the international recognition of “World AIDS Day,” dedicated to spreading awareness towards a pandemic that has killed 25 million people worldwide, while continuing to threaten the lives of millions more. Fortunately, this worthwhile movement will find its way to Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight, as Duke Partnership for Service, DeltAids and Know Your Status will be handing out red ribbons for all Duke students in attendance to wear in an honorable showing of student support.
“The red ribbon symbolizes awareness for HIV/AIDS. We will be distributing the ribbons to all the Cameron Crazies during the Duke-Michigan State game to enable them to exhibit Duke's support on the national stage,” said junior Braveen Ragunathan, Vice President of Health & Global Health Outreach for dPS. “This game is big but so is the global AIDS epidemic.”
If Ragunathan, known by friends as a notorious Duke fan, gets his wish tonight, the Cameron Crazies will be celebrating a victory, as well as their generation’s prospects to reduce the global ramifications of this disease.
This will not be the first time that Duke’s famed student section has demonstrated solidarity over a common cause. Earlier this season, all Cameron Crazies wore Viking helmets to honor deceased senior Drew Everson, who was well-known for the Viking helmet he wore to every Duke game.
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