- Can you tell us about your journey living with HIV and what “long-term survivor” means to you personally?
My journey with HIV has had its ups and Downs in the beginning when I was diagnosed at the age of 24 I was literally unaware and uneducated about HIV, and so when I was diagnosed I took it as the beginning of my journey. I decided for a little while not to be on medications and tried thanks holistically. I managed to find an awesome nonprofit organization that took me in in which I was able to sit amongst others who were living with HIV who was able to share their stories. And how they managed and told to live their lives, this particular program started my journey of becoming an HIV advocate, and I was hired As a HIV facilitator to do what I call my life path to help educate others provide HIV. Testing and counseling, I also was able to manage a youth group in much more it’s long term survivor means becoming aware of self enduring things that you felt like you could not face but did being able to go through. And get through challenges in life. It means strength, warrior boldness and perseverance.
2. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early years after your diagnosis?
3. How have your needs and experiences changed over the years as a long-term survivor?
How my needs and experiences changed over the years? As a long-term, HIV survivor is in the beginning, as I stated, medication was not an option for me. And the fact that I had to educate myself so that I could become more aware of HIV by joining groups and even getting hired by a nonprofit organization that helped those living with HIV. Is how I was able to cope deal and become a better virgin of myself now, at the age of beautiful forty four I have gained enough knowledge, power courage, information, and so much more due to my experiences over the last twenty years of living with HIV and now I do my best to help educate others who aren’t aware about HIV as well as those who are living with HIV to help them thrive and see that HIV does it mean the end but a beginning.
4.What role has community support or advocacy played in your journey?
Community has played a pivotal part in my journey of becoming a HIV advocate. For many yrs I thought there wasn’t anyone else like me. For over 30 yrs I lived life with a looming secret over my head until finding my lifetime survivor community I never told my story out loud. It was seeing my peers openly and proudly living their lives that gave me the courage to share my journey.
5. What would you like people to understand about the long-term survivor experience that often goes overlooked?
Many of us live normal lives. We have careers and families. Our children are born HIV negative, the biological age of a person living with HIV can appear to be 10 years older than that of someone without HIV, even with antiretroviral therapy (ART).
6. What are your hopes for the future in terms of care, visibility, or support for long-term HIV survivors?
My hopes is that one day the virus can be eradicated. With education prevention methods and prep new diagnoses should be at an all time low. I hope long term survivors are able to access treatment and care without it being a financial burden. I would like to see more research done on long term survivors to help us better manage our health as we age and that one day the stigma surrounding HIV will no longer exists.
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