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Each year, thousands of American women are diagnosed with HIV.

Many not even knowing they are infected.

But with HIV and AIDS awareness day, some here in the Rio Grande Valley want to change all of that.

For 25 years, Westbrook Clinic in Harlingen has been teaching women about the importance of getting testing.

Don Hall, director of the clinic said "HIV is a treatable disease now, no different than diabetes or cancer, if you catch it early, you can live an entire life.

Administrators at Westbrook say the number of women living with HIV continues to grow.

Here in the valley, over 27% of females are infected with HIV and AIDS 4% are children, less than two years old.

But with a simple test that only takes 60 seconds, you could save a life.