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Fambro formed MGPWA, his friend Cathy Dillard created Central City AIDS Network (CCAN),
a nonprofit dedicated to serving people with AIDS. “The CCAN mission was to give emotional,
practical, social and spiritual support and provided information to people affected by AIDS,”

making it one of the first of its kind in the state of Georgia.30 Access to medical care loomed as

an important issue; patients often drove to Atlanta to receive blood transfusions. Eventually this

hurdle was overcome when Dr. Jeffrey Stephens, a resident infectious disease specialist at the
Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, one of Middle Georgia’s largest public healthcare

facilities, began monitoring HIV/AIDS patients.31 In 1985, the Medical Center brought in Dr.

Harold Katner as a chief of infectious diseases. Fambro was receptive to Katner and Stephens

because they were open to doing whatever was necessary to help people diagnosed with

HIV/AIDS. Both Katner and Fambro understood that stigma was the largest obstacle in this
effort. As Katner noted in an interview, “I hear flak all the time…‘Why are you dealing with all
these homosexuals?’ Even some in the clergy tell me, ‘These people need to go to hell.’ It’s very
difficult. They are human beings.”32 Bibb County health officials also formed a task force on

AIDS and set up local efforts to educate the community and evaluate public policies. Members

of the task force forged ties with Fambro and offered support to MGPWA in the form of resource

information.33

The monetary support from local AIDS education task forces, other progressive activists,

and Dr. Katner was invaluable to those affected by the virus, but it took large financial resources

30 AL Gela Mock, "CCAN needs volunteers dedicated to fighting AIDS," Telegraph (Macon), February 14, 1990,9A.
31 "Middle Georgia resource compassion fuels comprehension services at Central City AIDS Network," HIV Risk Reduction 9
(2009): 1-4, https://www.pdffiller.com/en/project/147277139.htm?f_hash=e04b5c&reload=true.
32 Cheryl Fincher, "Treating AIDS patients a load for local doctor," Telegraph (Macon), August 31, 1986,1A.
33 Cheryl Fincher, "Bibb County task force to look at AIDS policies," Telegraph (Macon), August 13, 1987,1B.
Rodney Smith, Chairman of Macon Bibb County Board of Health; Emory Greene, Health Board member; Ora
Roberts, District educator and AIDS contact person; Dr. Mark Durden nursing committee, Board of Health; Scott
Wood, executive assistant to the mayor; Jackie Scott health educator; Josie Green, Director of Consultation,
Education, and prevention; Dr. Harold Katner, Chief of infectious disease, Mercer University School of Medicine;
Dr. Doug Skelton, Dean of Mercer University School of Medicine and chairman of State task force on AIDS.

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