Conference time

This week is Texas HIV/STD Conference week. Every two years, the program I work for puts together a four-day conference for HIV/STD workers from around the state. Although my own role in preparing for the conference is diminished from years past, it still dominates my schedule when it comes around.

Aside from providing everyone with disease statistics and prevention strategies, the conference is a chance to catch up with familiar faces and recharge the 'ol batteries to avoid burnout.

Many of the prevention counselors, disease intervention specialists and direct care providers who show up at our conference year after year are unsung heroes in my mind. Despite limited resources and a hostile political environment, they manage to reach the "unreachable" on a daily basis.

The least we can do is throw 'em a good conference.