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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
treatment *nformation TREATMENT INFORMATION PROGRAM MANDATE & DISCLAIMER In accordance with our mandate to provide support activities and facilities for members for the purpose of self-help and self-care, the BCPWA Society operates a Treatment Information Program to make available to members up-to-date research and information on treatments, therapies, tests, clinical trials, and medical models associated with AIDS and HIV-related conditions. The intent of this project is to make available to members information they can access as they choose to become knowledgeable partners with their physicians and medical care team in making decisions to promote their health. The Treatment Information Program endeavours to provide all research and information to members without judgment or prejudice. The program does not recommend, advocate, or endorse the use of any particular treatment or therapy provided as information. The Board, staff, and volunteers of the BCPWA Society do not accept the risk of, or the responsibliity for, damages, costs, or consequences of any kind which may arise or result from the use of information disseminated through this program. Persons using the information provided do so by their own decisions and hold the Society’s Board, staff, and volunteers harmless. Accepting information from this program is deemed to be accepting the terms of this disclaimer. Report on an HIV/AIDS summit at the University of British Columbia by Lorne Berkovitz On February 26, there was a worldclass summit at the University of British Columbia (UBC) during the 2010 Olympics. The title of the summit was “The Impact of Science and Innovation in the Evolving Global Health Paradigm: HIV and AIDS—A Global Challenge of Olympic Proportion.” The event was co-sponsored by MayqJune 2010 living5 17 LifeSciences British Columbia, The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, the International AIDS Society, and UBC. Guest speakers came from a wide range of backgrounds, including pharmaceutical research, epidemiology, government, economics, sports, and mental health. continued on next page
Page 1 and 2: inside 333 features q treatment inf
Page 3 and 4: Canada cuts funding to internationa
Page 5 and 6: The FIGHTING WORDS Fighting back Th
Page 7 and 8: Jennifer Evin Jones For the past 15
Page 9 and 10: Cover Story BCPWA is changing with
Page 11 and 12: Cover Story just some of the progra
Page 13 and 14: HIV-positive status to his partners
Page 15: Pain and anguish—and bliss One HI
Page 20 and 21: Feature Story When old is new The i
Page 22 and 23: Feature Story and notes that future
Page 24 and 25: Antiretrovirals Whatever happened t
Page 26 and 27: Please phone 604.893.2239 or email
Page 28 and 29: Nutrition Nutrition and HIV, revisi
Page 30 and 31: Wednesdays • 5:30 PM • Training
Page 32 and 33: Let’s clinical! get Clinical tria
Page 35 and 36: New BCPWA AGM voting procedure Now
Page 37 and 38: Volunteering at BCPWA Profile of a
Page 39 and 40: If you are a member of the BC Perso

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