World AIDS Day

HIV/AIDS is still out there and we need to address it!  Mark your calendars for World AIDS Day on December  1^st.

                                                                 

Every year World AIDS day is recognized around the globe.  It is a day that is used to raise awareness, remember those who have passed away, and “celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.” http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/World-AIDS-Day  The World AIDS Campaign selects a different theme each year in assembly with different organizations and governmental agencies involved in the AIDS response.  This year’s theme is “Universal Access and Human Rights.”

Personally, I think World AIDS day is a tremendous opportunity for us to realize that HIV/AIDS is still an issue that we as a society need to address.  According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.1 million children. During 2008 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.  It really is a disease that is a threat to people at every age and from every different part of the world.   http://www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm

Here in Boulder, Colorado I encourage you to come to lay tribute to those we have lost to HIV/AIDS with BCAP this December 1^st.  The Denver Gay Men's Chorus will be performing at 7:00 PM at First United Methodist Church (located on 14th and Spruce).  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased via a link on BCAP’s homepage.  http://www.bcap.org/

By Taylor Petersen

Getting Tested

Until this past week I had never really given much consideration to whether or not I was HIV positive.  If someone had asked me if I thought there was a chance that I had the disease I would have replied definitely not.  However, when we started working with BCAP I thought it would be interesting to blog about getting tested.                
It is extremely scary to hear that it is estimated that 21% of the HIV-positive people in the United States are completely unaware of their status.  That means that over 200,000 people are walking around without receiving treatment and potentially passing on the disease (AIDSmeds.com).  So even if you are pretty sure that you don’t have the disease, I think it is a good idea to get tested.                           
This past week I set up an appointment with Jenna Borys, BCAP’s Community Outreach Coordinator, to get tested for HIV free of charge at BCAP.   Before showing up I didn’t really put much thought into what the experience would be like.  So when I showed up at BCAP I really had no expectations as to what the procedure would be like or how I should feel.

Jenna in the testing room

Jenna came and got me for the appointment from the waiting area and took me upstairs to the testing room at BCAP.  The atmosphere in the room is very calm. BCAP makes sure that the door is closed, and that everything is strictly confidential and private.  There is even a nature noise machine that is placed right outside the door to make sure that no one can overhear you within the testing room.                 

 The test is really simple and relatively painless.  It is just a tiny little prick that they use to get a drop of blood for the test.  Moreover, everything is completely sanitary and safe.  Jenna wore latex gloves made sure everything was disinfected.  Additionally, everything used for the test is only used once and then disposed of.   Additionally, the HIV virus is very weak when it is exposed to air and is killed off within a matter of seconds after its exposure.

The finger prick

The test takes about ten minutes and during that time Jenna or whoever is testing you will ask some basic questions and discuss ways to remain safe while having sex.   For example, one thing that I learned during my visit is that there is a low risk of contracting HIV through kissing, unless you have some sort of cut in your mouth.

During the ten minutes that I waited for my test results to show up I began to wonder about my status.  I asked a lot of “what if” questions and really considered how different my life would be if I had HIV.  While I was still fairly certain that I was HIV negative, I began to get a little nervous and I was very anxious to get the test result back.  Thus it was a huge relief when the test came back HIV negative!

The Good News, A Negative Test!

There is definitely no experience that can stimulate the same emotions as actually getting tested for HIV.  It makes you gain a new sense of empathy and respect for what people that are HIV positive deal with everyday.  For the ten minutes that you wait to see if you have the disease, you can’t help but imagine what life would be like in the shoes of somebody that is HIV positive.  

Ultimately, I see only positive things coming out of getting tested.  If you find out that you are HIV negative you can walk out of the test with a sense of confidence and relief.  If you find out that you are HIV positive you can begin to take the steps to get proper treatment and stop the continued spread of the disease.   

By Taylor Petersen

Are You Sure It's JUST the Flu?

It’s the middle of November. Temperatures are dropping, the holidays are approaching, and at the most inconvenient time of the year, you get sick. Fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomachache, swollen lymph glands…the whole shebang. “I should have gotten that damn flu shot” you think to yourself, but it’s too late now so you just have to stick it out now. Weeks pass, and your symptoms don’t dissipate. Rather, they continually get worse, and you start sweating in your sleep. You don’t know what the hell is going on with your body, but a doctor will, so you schedule an appointment for tomorrow morning. The doctor will know what the virus is and how to best treat it, but do YOU know that the symptoms you are exhibiting not only pertain to the flu, but also to HIV?

I was shocked when I learned how unassuming the first symptoms of the HIV virus can be, so for this blog, I wanted to provide information to readers about how HIV affects the body and how the virus is detected. After infection, the HIV virus multiplies in the body and attacks the immune system. These attacks may result in flu-like symptoms, perhaps a skin rash for a few weeks, or potentially not yield any symptoms at all. In fact, if symptoms do not arise, people can lead seemingly healthy lives for years as their immune systems are attacked by the virus. It can take weeks or even months for the immune system to respond, and it is through the body’s response of producing antibodies that the virus can be detected. Blood tests as simple as a finger-prick can reveal the presence of these antibodies, resulting in a positive test for HIV. 

To provide a more personal perspective on the HIV testing process, contributing members of our group will participate in HIV detection tests throughout the next few weeks. We plan to discuss the technical aspects of testing as well as the emotional experience. We hope that our perspectives will provide transparency for the testing process and encourage testing amongst our peers. The symptoms are can be unassuming, if in doubt of a persistent, flu-like sickness, you can get tested too at BCAP or at Wardenburg free-of-charge. 

The Facts You Don’t Want To Hear

After talking with Dan Healey at BCAP and doing some outside research, I discovered some abysmal facts concerning HIV/AIDS in Colorado. Did you know that over 4,800 people are currently living with AIDS in Colorado and over 88% of those infected are male? Also, there have been 226 cases of HIV and 84 cases of AIDS newly diagnosed since October 1, 2009 in Colorado. Unfortunately, these are only a few of the hundreds of the devastating facts I unearthed about HIV/AIDS. Here are some more ghastly statistics that I couldn’t believe until I read them myself.

Persons Living With AIDS in Colorado (Currently) – Male 4,274 (88.7%) / Female 542 (11.3%)

Ethnicity

·         White, non-Hispanic 2,926 (60.8%)

·         Hispanic 1,046 (21.7%)

·         Black, non-Hispanic 728 (15.1%)

Age

·         13-24 years old, total: 208 (4.4%)

·         25-49 years old, total: 4,055 (84.2%)

·         50 years old & Older, total: 547 (11.3%)

Cause of Transmission

·         Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use among men accounted for 3,329 (77.9%) of the 4,274 current cases of AIDS in Colorado

·         Injection drug use and high risk sexual contact among women accounted for 436 (80.4%) of the 542 current cases of AIDS in Colorado

After reviewing these facts, I am just stunned to see how dramatic the difference in current AIDS cases is between men and women, specifically white males. Males alone accounted for 88.7% of all current cases of AIDS in Colorado compared to 11.3% for females, with 60.8% of those males being white. This great disparity is a complete shock to me. What could possibly create such an inequality between the sexes? My guess; the high number male cases in general coupled with the increase in high risk male-to-male sexual contact. I believe there is a negative stigma still attached to HIV/AIDS testing and that males are afraid to become associated with that current stigma.  Also, with increased testing present throughout Colorado and the rest of the United States, I believe more people who think they may have AIDS are taking an initiative to get themselves tested. This is the case most likely concerning males of today, those of which did not use protection and/or try and reduce their risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS and are paying the consequences.  

Even though these statistics are hard to believe, I hope an increase in awareness and education can stop this trend from continuing. With organizations such as BCAP making their services available to those in need with the HIV/AIDS disease, the disease can be combated and hopefully put into submission.

For More Information, Please Visit: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/HIVandSTD/HIV_STDSurv/HIV-AIDS_Surveillance.Report.Sept.10.pdf

& http://www.bcap.org/about_hiv_testing_logistics.html

By: Taylor Stephan

Food, Necessities, and So Much More

The mention of HIV/AIDS stirs up many emotions in people, whether it is fear of the virus, effects on the body, or the medicine that goes along with it to stay healthy and keep one’s immune system up. One thing that probably doesn’t pop into a person’s head would be the financial effect on people.  Most people have an understanding of the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS, but there are some major underlying factors when discussing these effects. One being the lack of finances a person incurs. Personal finances include so many different categories, but most importantly have to be the ability to afford food and basic necessities.

1 in 2 clients at BCAP live below the poverty line. The poverty line is classified as an income of $10,200 a year or $196 per week! This statistic is astounding, how is someone supposed to be able to afford food, shelter, and medication on such a low amount of funds? This is one of the many areas BCAP steps in to improve client’s lives and make life a little easier on them. BCAP has a fully stocked food bank in the basement of their building. This food bank is so important to the BCAP mission; it offers a private, stigma and judgment free place for clients to receive the foods and necessities they need to stay strong. The foods offered boost the immune system and are directly intended for people with HIV/AIDS. The food bank offers a variety of foods rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals helping to boost a person’s immune system as they battle the virus. One of the main items that are given to clients is the Ensure drinks. These are very important and handed out to clients in cases, because they are some of the best sources of vitamins and minerals needed in these clients diet.

                                 Some cases of the vitamin and protein rich drink, Ensure

Imagine being required to take around 30 pills a day to maintain your health while fighting HIV/AIDS. This is a common occurrence for BCAP clients, and it is nice to know that these people are receiving the nutrition they need to help make the medicine work to its best ability. This food helps keep people strong physically, as well as emotionally, knowing that they are able to receive healthy meals.

This amazing food bank is primarily donation based.  The Interface AIDS Coalition helps take turns stocking the shelves, as well as local churches around the Boulder area. The fresh produce is primarily donated by the local farmers market. All of these groups come together along with the people at BCAP to give clients proper nutrition and even more than that they give hope.

Upcoming Events:

Also don’t forget to check out the upcoming events benefiting BCAP

·         Imitation of Wife

o   Uproarious benefit performance for BCAP

o   Friday Nov. 5, and Saturday Nov. 6 at 7:30PM

o   Dairy Center for the Arts

    (2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO)

o   Tickets are $20, visit thedairy.org for more information

·         Souper Bowlder

o   An event  this Friday night where artists have designed soup bowls to be sold for $15 each, all proceeds benefiting BCAP

o   Over 1400 Bowls and enjoy a free bowl of soup in your newly purchased soup Bowl

o   Event is on Pearl Street at Boulder Arts and Crafts

For More Info: https://www.google.com/calendar/event?eid=Nm9ucGU3NHA1MmtqMHZraDgwcWZzMWFjZWcgYmNhaWRzcHJvamVjdEBt&ctz=America/Denver&gsessionid=OK

By Zach Kincaid

A Time to Remember

Did you know that since the start of the AIDS epidemic, 1.7 million Americans have been infected with HIV and more than 550,000 have died of AIDS?

*Data from American Foundation for AIDS Research http://amfar.org/abouthiv/article.aspx?id=3590

While the United States has come a long way in the fight against HIV/AIDS, I feel like there is still a lot of work to be done.  The ultimate goal is to eventually rid the world of HIV/AIDS.  Having said that, I think that it is important to take a look back in order to remember and honor those who have been lost to HIV/AIDS.                                                                                                                                       

The NAMES Project Foundation’s AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington D.C.

Recently, the AIDS Memorial Quilt came to Boulder and was on display in the Norlin Quad.  The AIDS Memorial Quilt is the largest currently operational community art venture in the US.  Almost every one of the more than 40,000 panels that make up “the Quilt” lays tribute to the life of a person lost to AIDS.  It is significant in its attempt to provide an avenue that creates awareness through honoring those lost to AIDS. 

Their story:

In 1978 San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were killed because they were homosexual.  In response, to the atrocity a man named Cleve Jones helped to organize a candlelight march in their honor.  As a part of the march Jones asked the participants to write on posters the names of those close to them who had died of AIDS. These posters were then taped to the San Francisco Federal Building creating the appearance of what looked like a patchwork quilt.

The very first panel created by Jones to honor his friend Marvin Feldman

This inspired Jones to team up with others in order to create a larger and more permanent memorial.  Public response to the project was enormous, and with the help of volunteers and donors the Quilt was created in a San Francisco workshop. 

Tours to display the quilt began in October of 1987 and to date have raised over $3 Million for AIDS service organizations around North America. 

Click here to see a video of the presentation of the quilt!

The Quilt was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and a documentary about it "Common Threads: Stories From The Quilt" won the Academy Award for best feature length documentary. 

Locally, BCAP’s own Dan Hanley is creating an online archive dedicated to the memories of those lost to HIV/AIDS.  The goal of the Remember Project http://www.rememberproject.org/ is to enrich our collective memory and to help to erase any stigmas surrounding the disease. 

Take a minute out of your day to lay tribute to those who have been lost to HIV/AIDS.
By Taylor Petersen

Easy AIDS

If you are like me, and found yourself at the Century Boulder Movie Theater this weekend, I congratulate us both for persevering through the lines, waits, and actually making it to the cinematic experience. Due to the packed theater for the 7:35 Wall Street showing and the sold out nature of The Social Network at 9:40, my sister and I finally found a movie to our liking at 10:25, a charming little teen flick, Easy A. 

With a satisfyingly sarcastic delivery, Easy A addresses the complexities of reputation, sexual identity, and the ever-reliable method of high school communication: rumors. Loosely based on The Scarlett Letter, the film provides insight to the life of a girl named Olive who pretends to lose her virginity to a fictitious community college student…and proceeds to pretend to engage in other sexual acts at the request of various boys from her high school to propel their reputations. Throughout the film, Olive helps gay men develop straight reputations, she nominally allows the geeks of her class to “score”, and towards the climax of the movie, she actually allows someone to source his contraction of Chlamydia to her.

This part of the film shocked me. Olive was willing to sacrifice nearly her entire reputation—including her health record—in order to progress the notoriety of her peers. So I wondered while watching the film….would Olive be willing to say that she spread or contracted HIV/AIDS? Is that too far of statement? Exactly what would admitting to having AIDS do to a person’s reputation? Their social life? Their life in general? I was really challenged by these thoughts, and I started to dwell on the idea personally. What would happen if people thought that I had AIDS? What would happen if I actually had AIDS? For the purposes of this particular blog entry, let’s disregard the physical effects of the disease and focus primarily on the social implications of AIDS contraction.

If I were to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS today, how would my life and future change? I was always taught not to share razors, stay clear of used needles, avoid contact with used personal products, etc., but what happens when you know a PERSON is infected? Would my friends maintain a three-foot distance from me at all times? Would people freak out if I scraped my knee or got a paper cut around them? If I went on a date, would the guy hold my hand? Kiss me goodnight? Would I actually be able to date? Would I be able to marry and have kids? Would I only be able to date other infected people?

I have been thinking about these questions all weekend, and I still cannot reach definitive answers on how people would treat me if I had or pretended to have AIDS like Olive pretended to have Chlamydia in Easy A. I also wonder how I would react if I found out that someone who I was involved with was infected. To help me further dwell, I’m going to extend the question out to you: How would you interact with me if you thought I was infected with HIV/AIDS? 

By Alex Lane

You Can Never Be Too Safe

I’ve heard it all. From “you can only contract HIV/AIDS from homosexuals” to “HIV/AIDS was originally transferred from monkeys to humans;” clearly these opinions are from the ignorant and misinformed. HIV must be transmitted through the bloodstream in order for someone to be infected. You can’t spread or obtain the virus through casual contact. However, the disease can be passed through blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal fluids.

Did you know that over 33 million people worldwide are infected with HIV/AIDS and the disease is now proclaimed as a pandemic? Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a retrovirus that infects the vital organs of the human immune system, severely weakening your body’s ability to fight off infections. Currently, there is no cure for this life threatening disease but there are treatments available to reduce its impacts.  I’m sure by now you are wondering, how does one acquire this debilitating disease?

A few main ways for one to acquire HIV/AIDS include:

Sexual Transmission

Engaging in unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone that has HIV is a main cause of contracting the disease. Women are more susceptible to contracting HIV than men due to hormonal changes and a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s increase the risk of obtaining the disease).

Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogens

HIV transmission can occur through the sharing of used intravenous needles. Common ways this can occur are through drug use, blood transfusions, tattoo application, and piercings. Blood transfusions consisting of infected blood account for 5-10% of the world’s HIV infections.

Parental Transmission

The transmission of HIV from a mother to her child occurs during the last few weeks of pregnancy, through “in utero” (in the uterus). Without treatment during pregnancy, a child has a 25% chance of acquiring the disease, as opposed to a 1% chance with treatment. HIV transmission can also occur through breastfeeding, in which there is a 4% chance of transmission.

For More Information Please Visit http://www.bcap.org/about_hiv_facts.html

By Taylor Stephan