The Schumanns chair Tulsa CARES Red Ribbon Gala

Tulsa CARES, a nonprofit that helps people affected by HIV/AIDS, taps physicians Drs. Sarah-Anne and John Schumann to chair the gala.

Tulsa CARES, a nonprofit that provides social services to people affected by HIV/AIDS, has enlisted two prominent Tulsa physicians to chair its
upcoming Red Ribbon Gala.

For Dr. John Schumann, president of OU-Tulsa, and his wife, Dr. Sarah-Anne Schumann, medical director at United Healthcare and family doctor at Community Health Connection, the March 2 fundraiser represents how far treatment has come for the once-deadly conditions.

“The history of HIV is really an unbelievable story about advocacy and science,” John says. “In less than 40 years, we’ve developed this incredible understanding of the virus itself, while advocacy for the marginalized group of people affected by HIV has played a strong role in getting more government funding for research.”

He says the biggest change was the advent of so-called triple therapy or HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy) that began in the early 2000s. The approach resulted in HIV being managed as a chronic condition, not seen as a death sentence.

Another shift has been the rise in treatment as prevention, John says.

Sarah-Anne emphasizes how easy it was for her and John to accept the offer to support Tulsa CARES, with which they have been involved for about a year.

“We think a lot about the social determinants of health and how it’s not just about treating disease with medicine, but also about looking at the whole person,” she says. “What we love about Tulsa CARES is that they are thinking about all of the needs of people who are living with HIV — nutrition, housing, mental health and counseling.” 

March 2 — Red Ribbon Gala: Turn It Up

6 p.m., Cox Business Center, 100 Civic Center. Tickets start at $500; sponsorships, $1,000-$25,000. Benefits Tulsa CARES. Visit redribbongala.org.