NEW SHARON – Dr. Mark Rolfe will give an update on HIV/AIDS in Maine and around the world when he speaks at 7 p.m., Wednesday at the New Sharon United Methodist Church.

Rolfe is a family physician in the Augusta area and is medical director of the Horizon Program in Gardiner.

HIV and AIDS continue to threaten adults and children around the world, church Pastor Karen Garcia stated in a news release.

Diagnosed cases of HIV in the U.S. are rising and there is an increased need for HIV testing, treatment, and prevention services, she said.

“Education is key to slowing this epidemic,” Garcia stated.

People are invited to learn more about who is at risk, how the disease is spread, and what can be done to protect people, she said.

The program is offered in preparation for World AIDS Day, held annually on Dec. 1.

For more information, Garcia may be reached at 626-1018 or 623-4705.