There’s a gang in town, and they’re comprised primarily of women who care about your health. The Grandmothers of Alberta for a New Generation (GANG) was hosting its largest annual craft sale on Saturday at the Southminster-Steinhauer United Church for HIV and AIDS education and treatment across the world. Judy Mill, chair of the group, says the Shakers and Makers craft sale helps to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. In the last 20 years, the Alberta chapter of the group – there are 130 grandmothers groups across Canada – has donated around $1.5 million to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. The non-profit was named after the United Nations envoy who wanted to support children orphaned by those who died of AIDS in Africa. Funding through the foundation goes to similar “grandmothers” groups in Africa. Mill says you don’t need to be a grandmother to join the cause. “I think it helps raise awareness as well. Education, in addition to fundraising, is a focus of our organization,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Saturday. “Educating the public about HIV and AIDs, letting them know it’s still a problem.” Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can weaken the body’s defences and progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. The federal government says 2,300 new HIV diagnoses were reported in 2024 and an estimated 7,000 in Canada may live unaware of their diagnosis. With the advancement of medication, HIV is now considered a manageable condition. Last month, Ottawa announced $5 million in funding for self-test kits and peer-based support workers for communities facing the highest burdens of the virus. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Michael Pandur
