by Jerry Burke
While awareness of the disease has come a long way since the early 1980s, numbers indicate that it is as deadly as ever, despite the number of drugs available to treat it. According to the National AIDS Trust, five people die of AIDS every minute, and 14,000 will be infected in the next 24 hours.
So when it came to finding candidates for the Town of Hempstead's seventh annual Making a Difference Awards, judges found a real difference-maker in the person of Elmont resident Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert, founder of EMG Health Communications Inc. and a noted health activist.
Guibert and 11 other volunteers from throughout the Town of Hempstead were honored last week in Hempstead at the awards ceremony. The awards recognize volunteers who, in any of a multitude of ways, make positive contributions to their communities. "Giving of oneself so that the lives of others might be enhanced is a way of life for each of our honorees," said Supervisor Kate Murray, who emceed the ceremony.
Guibert, who lives and works in Elmont, has not only made public health her career, but continues to devote at least 30 hours a week to volunteer work. In 1997 she launched the first video documentary on HIV/AIDS prevention specifically for the Haitian-American population worldwide. The documentary, entitled "Mon Ami Ari" (My Friend Air), sought to sensitize the community, especially young adults, to make informed decisions concerning their behavior to provent sexually transmitted diseases. After an extensive public-relations campaign, the video has become a staple for educators seeking to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Haitian community.
Guibert's work extends not only beyond education, but occasionally beyond borders. In 2000 she cut through bureaucratic red tape to obtain a humanitarian visa for a woman whose daughter was dying of AIDS in New York City. Guibert traveled overseas herself and escorted the mother back to New York to be with the daughter she had been separated from for 6 years.
The next year, Guibert set up one of the first public showings of the AIDS Quilt in Haiti, her home country, which continues to be ravaged by poverty and disease.
"Elsy is a talented woman who possesses great heart and true compassion," said Murray. "She is a genuine leader and an absolute role model for our community."
Since founding her health resource company in 1979, the graduate of the Columbia University School of Public Health has been a symbol of strength for those dealing with AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses. In September, Guibert was honored as a recipient of the 2003 Gay Clark Stoddard Memorial Award, given to health-care professionals who have made outstanding contributions to breast health care in their communities. Earlier this year, Guibert was also named one of the "Women of Distinction" in the 21st Assembly District, an award presented by Assemblyman Tom Alfano to those whose service to the community goes above and beyond the call of duty.
