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

AIDS On Campus

            As you may know from our background information on our introductory blog, we are all students from the University of Colorado-Boulder.  In walking the campus this week I found an unusual formation of flags and signs dispersed across one of the quads. I discovered that the demonstration was being put on by BCAP and spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS on campus. As a student at CU I have come to be almost oblivious to most demonstrations, but this one seemed to stick out to me. Not only was there a large number of flags put in place around the grass, but also large pieces of quilts that had pictures and writing on them. In talking to some of the staff under the BCAP tent I found out that this event was to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS using the national NAMES quilt and statistics of those people that have passed away from AIDS.

 Man observing one of the pieces of the NAMES AIDS Quilt on Norlin Quad on the CU-Boulder campus. The sections of quilt are made in memory of someone that died of AIDS. The NAMES Memorial Quilt (http://www.aidsquilt.org/)

One of the informational signs found around the quad, in place to get passerby attention.

In order to spread the word around campus to students and faculty passing by there was also the use of signs with facts about AIDS and statistics meant to get passerby attention. These signs were put in place to not only state facts to some misconceptions about AIDS, but also to put in perspective just how costly AIDS can be and how many unfortunate people there are in our society that need help. One sign talked about how AIDS is spread not only through sexual contact and blood, but also through breast feeding. These sorts of messages hopefully can get students to become more aware of AIDS and hopefully take precautionary steps to avoid the further spread of this disease.

Table set up to hand out information and condoms to students in order to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

BCAP was also handing out condoms as a way to further spread awareness. I think it is a great idea to use a variety of tactics to help in educating the college population about the prevention of AIDS. BCAP and the people that put on this demonstration used different stimuli to help showcase the fact that AIDS is not just a disease affecting people over in Africa and 3^rd world countries, it is clearly evident in our society and there needs to be the spreading of awareness to those around us. I hope that this demonstration and BCAP’s presence on campus can have positive effects on the students’ population and continue to raise awareness to not only college students, but society as a whole. If the college and young adult community can continue to be educated on AIDS and contrubute to the prevention, we as a society can hopefully wipe the catastrophic AIDS virus out.

Over 400 Flags symbolizing those infected and those who have died from AIDS.

By Zach Kincaid

The NAMES Quilt is a nationally recognized quilt that remembers those who have died from AIDS. It was started back in 1987. “The AIDS Memorial Quilt is a poignant memorial, a powerful tool for use in preventing new HIV infections, and the largest ongoing community arts project in the world”, is listed on the NAMES Quilt website. In doing some research on the quilt and reading this quote I find it very interesting that BCAP and the campus would take part in using the quilt to spread awareness. I, like many other students am a visual learner and using this quilt and showing those that have fallen to AIDS provides strong evidence to showcase just how much of a presence AIDS still has in our society.

The Colorado Kid

Hey readers,

I am the last member of the group that is dedicated towards creating a blog for Boulder County Aids Project.  When we initially met with BCAP we were told about how we were supposed to share our honest, open perspectives on AIDS.  So I thought I would start by first sharing a little about myself.

My name is Taylor Petersen and I am currently a senior accounting major at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  I was born and raised a Buff fan in Littleton Colorado, and have loved my time at CU.  In my opinion there is no greater state than Colorado and no better school than CU.                                               

I am really close with my family which includes my mom Barb, dad Tom, younger sister Katherine, and younger brother and newest CU student Connor.   I love to travel, ski the Rocky Mountains, and cycle.  This summer I raised $5000 and cycled across the country to benefit people with disabilities. 

          

My experience with, as well as, my knowledge of AIDS is very limited.  While I was raised Catholic and grew up in a conservative area, I never heard anything negative about the disease.  In fact, the first real exposure that I had to the disease was in biology class in middle school.  I have never knowingly met anyone with AIDS to date.  Honestly, the only real thing that popped into my head about AIDS before working with BCAP was the famous basketball player Magic Johnson. 

However, in meeting with BCAP I was astonished to hear about the fact that over 200 new cases of HIV/AIDS have appeared within Colorado in the past year.  Moreover, through research I have become increasingly alarmed by some of the facts that have come up.  Did you know that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates there are about 1.1 million HIV-positive people in the United States. Of that number, they estimate 21 percent are unaware of their HIV status AIDSmeds.com.  That means that it is estimated that more than 200,000 people are out there completely clueless that they have the disease.  This is scary because they not only are people not getting proper treatment, but they could also unknowingly be passing on the disease.

On the bright side, I was so encouraged by how many resources a place like BCAP can provide to people infected with HIV.  I found it incredibly impressive that they are able to provide such things as medical care, pro bono professional services, a sense of community through support groups and mentor programs, and even a market with nutritional foods.  To check out a list of these services and more follow this link: http://www.bcap.org/what_case_service_programs.html.   

Overall, this semester I am curious to learn more about HIV/AIDS and see what I can do to help BCAP.