25 faces: Leaders fighting HIV/AIDS in Colorado

10 Mark Thrun

“Out biggest challenge is to move beyond apathy – to a place where everyone understands their risk for HIV and acts appropriately,” said Mark Thrun, a medical professional who oversees the HIV prevention program at Denver Public Health.

Thrun has always been passionate about working in the medical arena with a focus on LGBT patients. During his medical training, he decided that he would specifically focus on HIV and prevention after realizing that he could better take care of gay men if he knew the illness intimately.

“We diagnose many people with HIV at Denver Health,” Thrun said. “There have been a handful of times I have stepped into my office area to see someone I know, or am good friends with, who has just been diagnosed with HIV. I am humbled that we are able to help people – my friends – during this time in their life, but I remain heartbroken that they are the ones sitting in my office.”

Thrun has been implemental in prevention programs in Colorado, and feels that in today’s day and age we finally have the tools needed to shift the course of the epidemic in the state.

And he continues his passion in the field, uplifted by the treatment and tools, but still on the treadmill towards the day when he has fewer patients. “I remain dedicated to eliminating HIV,” Thrun said. “And working locally, because I am tired of seeing people I already know in my office (because they’ve been diagnosed with HIV). I look forward to no longer having people visit me at work, and to beingof work someday.”