We now know that those five men all had AIDS. We know that the intravenous drug use and unprotected sexual contact transmits HIV, which causes AIDS. We know that all donated and transfused blood must be tested for HIV. We have anti-retroviral medications to treat people infected with HIV.

But, as we face the 24th World AIDS’ Day on December 1, we must now reflect on how hard the journey from there to here has been. While the health care has improved, the medication is extremely expensive and must be taken religiously in order to be effective. According to the CDC, “three out of four Americans living with HIV do not have their disease under control.” And while some social stigmas may have relaxed, we cannot forget how unreasonably these people were treated in the early days of the disease.

This past Tuesday, I got to hear some of those horror stories when I talked to Chuck Panozzo, founding member of and original bass player for the 70s rock sensation Styx. Panozzo was born in 1948 in Chicago and grew up in the Italian South Side. He formed Styx with his twin brother John and neighborhood pal Dennis DeYoung, and though the band has broken up and reformed several times since its original lineup, it remains a quintessential classic rock phenomenon. With hits like “Mr. Roboto” and “Lady” to “Show Me The Way” the band still tours regularly. Panozzo mentioned to me that he played more than one hundred shows in 2011, and is looking forward to touring with Journey next summer. But Panozzo didn’t want to talk about Styx, he wanted to talk about AIDS.

You see, while Styx was conquering the charts and rocking the arenas, Panozzo was paralyzed with fear that his fans would learn that he was a homosexual. In 1991, he learned he was HIV positive. He went on tour and did not seek any further medical treatment until he learned he had AIDS eight years later. “Part of my reluctance to seek treatment was the realization that there were not many treatment options available at that time,” he says, calling the drugs of the time “unbearable.” He lost friends to AIDS, his friends lost partners to AIDS, and Panozzo didn’t say a word.

He didn’t actually say anything until 2001, ten years after his diagnosis and after more than 50 years in the closet. Panozzo didn’t find the shunning he expected. He wrote his 2002 book “The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx” after his fans urged him to tell his inspirational story. Panozzo hoped that readers had found the “inspiration and hope” that he put in there for others facing what he faced.

There are currently almost 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, according to the CDC. To prevent further illness, including the development of AIDS, these patients are required to take up to 25 pills every day. Panozzo told me that this pharmaceutical regiment can cost up to $60,000.00 per year in the U.S. He is grateful that he can afford his medications, but is well aware that most have difficulty paying, especially those without health insurance or with coverage caps. He also mentioned that current medications can “stop working like they should over time. the easier they make the protocols, the more people will benefit.” Panozzo is spreading the word about GeoVax and their promising vaccine. The vaccine is currently in Phase 2a human trials, and, if successful, will significantly reduce the number of pills a patient must take. “Through my role with Styx, I have been given the unique opportunity to help make a difference,” he says. He wants to break down the stereotypes associated with AIDS, and with homosexuals in general. Panozzo hears from fans, and “while their stories still break my heart, everyone gets a hug. As a group, I know that the gay community has come a long way, but we still have a lot to fight for. I want to make one person question why he’s hiding and give him courage to make a change,” he explains.

Panozzo adamantly refuses to be called a hero. He’s just a semi-retired rock star living in Ft. Lauderdale and that dedicates himself to gay rights and AIDS awareness. According to the World AIDS Day site, this day is “an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.” Panozzo would want you to.

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