I was privileged recently to interview Jeanette Calhoun for a story about her new position as executive director of Tyler AIDS Services.

If you know Calhoun, you know she has a bright, quick mind and has a lot of energy and compassion. Being around her will make you feel like an underachiever.

The fight against AIDS is in its third decade. Plenty has changed. And the face of HIV is changing in our East Texas neighborhoods, too.

Incidents of mother-tochild transmissions through breast-feeding, for instance, are on the rise here. And the methods for fighting HIV are changing, too.

Tyler AIDS Services serves a 32-county area surrounding Smith County. Here are some facts:

•In 2009, TAS provided compassionate service to approximately 300 clients, many of whom felt they had nowhere else to turn.

•In East Texas, 20 per- cent or more of those infected with the HIV virus are unaware they have been exposed.

•Simple education programs can change the lives of babies born in East Texas.

•New drug therapies have made improvements in the longevity and quality of life of those with HIV and AIDS.

Getting clients diagnosed and on a healthy regimen means fewer trips to local emergency rooms and healthier, happier lives for them and their families.

TAS offers an extensive list of services, including networking and referrals to local health, government agencies and social service providers; support groups; financial aid with utilities, medicine, long-term housing and even funeral arrangements; serving as an information and resource center; and a food pantry.

Cathy Primer Krafve lives and writes with a Texas twang. Visit checklistcharlie. blogspot.com.