Ryan White's mother visits a local college

TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - More than 300 people in the Wabash Valley are living with HIV.

Thursday afternoon Carrie Foote-Ardah was set to speak at O'Shaughnessy hall on the campus of Saint Mary of the Woods College. Carrie could not make it Because she was ill from HIV complications.

"She is either at home or in the hospital right now due to complications from the disease process," said Jody Grieb.

In her absence, Jody Grieb with the Wabash Valley Group People Attempting to Help spent the day educating students, with everything from pamphlets to condoms. Yes, condoms on the campus of the nations oldest liberal arts catholic college.

"One reason why it was so important to be out here today is the number of women that are so affect by this disease these days," said Grieb.

Grieb said AIDS is the number three killer of woman in the United States.

That number drove Grieb to take the awareness campaign further by offering free HIV testing. With a quick prick of the finger and 15 minutes later students got an answer.

AIDS Awareness activist Jeanne White-Ginder also came to the campus hoping to remove the negative stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. In the 1980's, her son Ryan White became the face of HIV and AIDS.

Ryan contracted HIV from a blood transfusion when he was just a little boy.

"Education is our best prevention for this disease," said White-Ginder.