News-Record.com

The anti-AIDS activist group Gay Men's Health Crisis commemorates the "20th Year of World AIDS Day" today with a salute to volunteers and a situation report.

It notes that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saw a 40 percent increase in new HIV infections in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available, over 2005. I'm no expert, but that doesn't sound like progress to me.

As for voluntarism, the center cites statistics estimating the market value of Americans' all volunteer work at $158 billion annually. No one knows what that figure might be locally, but Greensboro's contributions in the philanthropic field, from United Way contributions to Crop Walk participation, are well documented.

Locally, Triad Health Project, which also depends on -- and is grateful for -- volunteers, is holding its 17th Annual Winter Walk for AIDS on Saturday. You can register online here.

Y'all go have some fun with this. But you'll want to finish lunch first.

Today is the inaugural National Healthcare Decisions Day. The day is aimed at highlighting the need for you to plan in advance for decisions you may need to make about your own health care as you age or if you become ill or are injured. It's also aimed at highlighting the need for you to designate who can make those decisions for you if you become unable. For example, if you are brain-dead, do you want to be kept alive on a respirator?

A number of agencies can provide information on various aspects of these decisions, including North Carolina End of Life Care Advisory Council, the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care, North Carolina Hospital Association, North Carolina Medical Society, North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Coalition on Donation and the North Carolina Division of Aging
and Adult Services.

For more information, visit the National Healthcare Decisions Day Web site.

Today is the Great American Smoke-Out, a day when smokers nationally are encouraged to quit. The health reasons are too many to list. My father died of lung fibrosis most likely caused by smoking, so I've got a personal reason to urge you to quit if you smoke, and not to start if you don't smoke. Teens are particularly vulnerable to advertising pressure to smoke, so if you're young and have a friend who smokes, try some friendly peer pressure.

The Guilford County Department of Public Health has a good deal of information here on things going on locally with regard to tobacco.

UPDATE: QuitlineNC offers "free, expert support" for those trying to quit. Visit the site or dial 1-800-QUIT-NOW.