liv poz mag.qxd - Positive Living BC

Prevention
The first steps
Important services from BCPWA for people
who are newly diagnosed with HIV
by Chuck Osborne
If
you’ve recently been
diagnosed with HIV,
you’re probably wondering
what to do next. Coming
to terms with your diagnosis
often starts with taking
control and learning as
much as you can. You can
overcome anxieties and
fears and actively participate
in your own recovery by
asking questions.
BCPWA’s Health
Promotion Department can help you with real answers to
these questions by offering a number of important services
that are part of its continuum of care for newly diagnosed.
If you want to tell someone how you feel or express
your emotions and don’t know who will listen, our Peer
Counselling Hotline is available from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
daily at 604.908.7710; if you live outside the Lower Mainland,
you can call toll-free at 1.800.908.7710. Trained counsellors
will lend a supportive ear in a confidential manner—they can
also follow-up with resources if needed.
When you’re ready to increase your HIV knowledge base,
you can attend our workshop series entitled HIV Fundamentals.
This peer-facilitated series will help you better understand
the new realities of having HIV, disease progression, treatment
information, disclosure, and self-care. You can also get
support from newly diagnosed peers.
If you need to access primary health care, our HIV Care
Registry can help you locate a doctor or clinic. We can put
you in touch with appropriate HIV/AIDS resources or other
agencies to meet your individual needs. We can also assist in
your doctor-patient relationship by helping you ask the right
questions to get meaningful answers.
Becoming a member of BCPWA has many benefits such
as the Complementary Health Fund, where you can receive
up to $55 per month for your non-prescription HIV-related
healthcare needs, which can include such things as water,
vitamins, nutritional supplements, and gym passes. For stress
relief and general relaxation, every Wednesday we offer gentle
yoga. Also on Wednesdays, students from the Boucher
Institute of Naturopathic Medicine are on-site to attend to
your physical needs.
We also offer many other support services, including
weekend retreats, complimentary tickets to various events,
and other social networking opportunities. We can refer you
to other BCPWA departments if you need help with housing
or addictions issues. Don’t be afraid to drop by for a haircut
or take home something nice from our “gently used”
clothing store.
The goal of our continuum of care model is to take HIVspecific
services and together create a plan that is best suited
to you and your needs, thereby providing you with
optimism, answers to questions, and a better quality of life.
For more information, or if you have any questions about
any BCPWA services, call 604.893.2200. 5
Chuck Osborne is a volunteer with
BCPWA’s Health Promotion Program.
BCPWA
Advocacy
gets
results!
The BCPWA Society’s Advocacy Program continues to work
hard to secure funds and benefits for our members.
The income secured for December 2009 & January 2010 is:
t $15,075
t $4,500
new housing, health benefits, dental and
long-term disability benefits.
in ongoing monthly nutritional supplement
benefit for children
16 living5 MayqJune 2010