There is a disease that reached out into the world and changed the way we thought about everything, from how we got our blood transfusions to our sexual practices. It was met with a campaign of fear and superstition that harmed both those who had it, and the families and friends of those who surrounded them. While HIV and AIDS are out in the world today, the horror stories that were told of how it works and how it was transmitted have largely been mitigated. World AIDS Day works to ensure that those who suffer from AIDS can live in a safer, more understanding world and help further research to eliminate it.