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N E W S A N D T R E AT M E NT I N F O R M AT I O N F R O M T H E P O S IT I V E L I V I N G S O C I E T Y O F B R IT I S H C O LU M B I A

ISSN 1712-8536

• DECEMBER 2016 VOLUME 18 • NUMBER 6 NOVEMBER

The

PREP Revolution A Stronger, Healthier, & Happier You

PNP pt 2

The Community Shines

YouthCO’s New ED

HEALTH CLINICS Good for your body, Good for your soul!

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I N S I D E

Follow us at:  pozlivingbc  positivelivingbc

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PAC’S FIGHTING WORDS

BC’s HIV/AIDS services get PHACd

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COVER STORY One man’s PrEP awakening

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LET’S GET CLINICAL Info about the TriiAdd Study

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NUTRITION Digesting the anti-inflammatory diet

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CHEMSEX– THE INTERVIEW

What happens when PNP takes over your life?

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THE POSITIVE GARDENER GIVING WELL Tips and tricks to keep the garden alive all winter

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POZ CONTRIBUTIONS Recognizing Positive Living BC supporters

Honouring the nicest 2 Guys with Knives

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VOLUNTEER PROFILE

 positivelivingbc.org

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COME ALIVE Volunteers’ voices from History Alive

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WE ALL SHINE ON

The third in a three-part series about community and advocacy

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LAST BLAST Making Little John smile

HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM MANDATE & DISCLAIMER In accordance with our mandate to provide support activities and prejudice. The program does not recommend, advocate, or endorse facilities for members for the purpose of self-help and self-care, the the use of any particular treatment or therapy provided as information.

Positive Living Society of BC operates a Health Promotion Program The Board, staff, and volunteers of the Positive Living Society of to make available to members up-to-date research and information BC do not accept the risk of, or the responsiblity for, damages, on treatments, therapies, tests, clinical trials, and medical models costs, or consequences of any kind which may arise or result from associated with AIDS and HIV-related conditions. The intent of the use of information disseminated through this program. Persons this project is to make available to members information they can using the information provided do so by their own decisions and access as they choose to become knowledgeable partners with hold the Society’s Board, staff, and volunteers harmless. Accepting their physicians and medical care team in making decisions to information from this program is deemed to be accepting the terms promote their health. The Health Promotion Program endeavours to of this disclaimer. provide all research and information to members without judgment or P5SITIVE LIVING | 1 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Message The Positive Living Society of British Columbia seeks to empower persons living with HIV disease and AIDS through mutual support and collective action. The Society has over 5700 HIV+ members.

POSITIVE LIVING EDITORIAL BOARD Earl Sunshine – chair, Ross Harvey, Joel Nim Cho Leung, Elgin Lim, Jason Motz, Adam Reibin, Neil Self MANAGING EDITOR Jason Motz DESIGN / PRODUCTION Britt Permien FACTCHECKING Sue Cooper COPYEDITING Maylon Gardner, Erin Parker PROOFING Ashra Kolhatkar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lorenzo Cryer, Leah Giesbrecht, Murray B. Hunt, MT O’Shaughnessy, Neil Self, Sean Sinden, Zoran Stjepanovic, Annie Tsang PHOTOGRAPHY Britt Permien DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATION Adam Reibin DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Elgin Lim TREATMENT, HEALTH AND WELLNESS COORDINATOR Brandon Laviolette SUBSCRIPTIONS / DISTRIBUTION John Kozachenko Funding for Positive Living is provided by the BC Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch and by subscription and donations.

Positive Living BC | 803 East Hastings Vancouver BC V6A 1R8

 Reception 604.893.2200  Editor 604.893.2206  living@positivelivingbc.org  positivelivingbc.org

Permission to reproduce: All Positive Living articles are copyrighted. Non-commercial reproduction is welcomed.

For permission to reprint articles, either in part or in whole, please email living@positivelivingbc.org

© 2016 Positive Living

from the chair

NEIL SELF

Let’s see action

“It

was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness….” Charles Dickens first published this famous passage 157 years ago. He was describing life during the French Revolution. So I am extremely frustrated by how fittingly it describes the HIV community in Canada today. Have we learned nothing?

These really should be the best of times for people living with HIV because, in a sense, it is our age of wisdom. On a community level, we have learned over the past 30 years that sustained good HIV health generally requires a balance of pharmaceutical treatment, complementary wellness programs, and social support services. Our firsthand experience proves that this combination is the key to a better quality of life with HIV. Yet, somehow, the federal government— in all its foolishness—is about to make these the worst times for many Canadian PLHIV. In October, just two weeks after the Feds pledged $804 million to international efforts on AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis at the Global Fund Replenishment Conference, community-based HIV organizations across Canada had their federal funding drastically cut or completely discontinued by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

We maintain that the process by which the PHAC arrived at its funding decisions was not transparent, not consistent in its criteria, and not supportive of community-

P5SITIVE LIVING | 2 | NOV •• DEC 2016

based organizations which lacked the capacity to submit “professional” letters of intent. The outcomes of this process are perverse in that they will certainly result in huge new gaps in service provision in communities where the consequences will be to worsen the epidemic. Without direct services to support people living with HIV, Canada will have no hope of reaching the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goal, despite its public endorsement by the Minister of Health, and no alternative national plan. (For more, see “PAC’s Fighting Words” on page 5).

We’re working with our community partners and local MP’s to make sure this travesty is resolved in favour of PLHIV. You can do your part by learning more about the situation at positivelivingbc.org and by talking to your local MP. It’s time to get fired up!

On that note, I need to address how the magazine’s content has changed somewhat over the past year. Your Editorial Board decided in 2015 to take a cheekier, bolder approach to the writing we publish. So we struck a relationship with Kevin Moroso, author of our “Rethinking Sex and HIV” column. Kevin’s words and ideas are sometimes brash and controversial—but they are never meant to offend. Rather, we publish content like this to get Positive Living BC members fired up, and to take action on issues they are passionate about. I apologize to anyone we’ve upset. Keep your comments coming to neils@positivelivingbc.org. 5

Not enough Doctors talk a way to get PrEP to the people who can most about PrEP: Johns Hopkins benefit. PrEP could be a game-changer for

p

Only four in 10 HIV-negative gay and bisexual men in Baltimore are aware that pre-exposure prophylaxis medication (PrEP) may significantly reduce their risk of contracting the virus, even those who had recently visited a doctor or been tested for an STI, a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study says.

Studies show that taking the once-daily pill reduces HIV rates by 92 percent in HIV-negative people who are at high risk for HIV, including men who have unprotected sex with men, and it is recommended for that group by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2011, HIV incidence among gay and bisexual men nationally was 18 percent; in Baltimore, it is estimated to be 31 percent.

Still, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved PrEP in 2012, only five percent of high-risk individuals have taken PrEP. The new findings, published online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggest that many health care providers don’t even discuss PrEP, even with high-risk patients they know are gay or bisexual or have been tested for other STIs. The CDC says that as many as one-third of physicians may not even know PrEP is an option.

“Doctors have limited time with their patients, but with gay and bisexual male patients, physicians definitely need to make it a point to discuss HIV risks and whether PrEP is a good option,” says Julia R.G. Raifman, of Bloomberg School’s Department of Epidemiology. “Health care providers may be unfamiliar with PrEP or may be uncomfortable broaching sexual health topics with their patients. Whatever the reason, we need to find

HIV in the United States—but only if people know about it.”

For the study, the researchers used the 2014 Baltimore MSM National HIV Behavioral Surveillance data. There were 401 HIV-negative participants in the study, of whom 168 (42 percent) were aware of PrEP. Interestingly, seeing a doctor (as 82 percent had) and having a test for another STI (as 46 percent had) in the previous year did not increase the likelihood that a gay or bisexual man knew about PrEP. Those who had been tested for HIV in the prior year were more likely to be aware of PrEP. Researchers also found that twice as many black participants as white participants in the study were unaware of PrEP. Raifman says that is troubling since statistics suggest that one in two gay black men will get HIV in their lifetimes.

Educating doctors and patients will be a key to expanding the use of PrEP. “Physicians may not understand that PrEP is nothing like the high doses of ARV initially used to treat HIV,” Raifman says.

“This is a new safe and effective tool in our toolbox to prevent HIV,” Raifman says.

“But it does us no good if no one is using it.”

Source: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ 2016-10/jhub-mgm100516.php

Dapivirine vaginal ring a safe bet against HIV

pAmong women who acquired HIV

during ASPIRE (A Study to Prevent Infection with a Ring for Extended Use, or MTN-020), researchers found no differences in the frequency and patterns of HIV drug resistance between those assigned a ring containing an ARV drug called dapivirine and those P5SITIVE LIVING | 3 | NOV •• DEC 2016

assigned a placebo ring with no active drug.

ASPIRE was a Phase III trial that found the dapivirine vaginal ring was safe and helped protect against HIV. The trial, led by the National Institutes of Health-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), enrolled women ages 18-45 at 15 trial sites in Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Women who acquired HIV during ASPIRE immediately stopped using their assigned ring to avoid the possibility that the virus could become resistant to dapivirine or other NNRTIs. Of 2,629 women who participated in ASPIRE, 168 acquired HIV. The current analysis included 164 women—96 in the placebo ring group and 68 in the dapivirine ring group. Using small samples of blood, the researchers conducted special tests that identify mutations in the genetic makeup of HIV that are known to cause resistance to certain drugs. NNRTI drug resistance was detected in 10 of 96 women in the placebo group (10.4 percent prevalence) and in eight of 68 in the dapivirine ring group (11.8 percent prevalence), a difference that was not statistically significant. These mutations were not specific to dapivirine, suggesting that women were infected with virus already resistant to NNRTIs. “We are encouraged that the dapivirine ring itself seems to have posed little risk for development of HIV drug resistance in ASPIRE. With the dapivirine ring now being used in [other] open-label extension trials, it will be important to continue monitoring for and collecting more data to better understand the prevalence and potential risks for drug resistance,” said Urvi Parikh, of the MTN Laboratory Center Virology Core at the University of Pittsburgh.

In the follow-on study to ASPIRE, HOPE (HIV Open-label Prevention Extension), or

MTN-025, former ASPIRE participants will have the opportunity to use the dapivirine ring knowing that it is safe and can help prevent HIV. In ASPIRE, HIV risk was reduced by 27 percent overall (there were 27 percent fewer women who acquired HIV in the group assigned to use the dapivirine ring than in the group assigned to use a placebo ring containing no active drug); additional analyses have since found the level of HIV protection is at least 56 percent and may be as high as 75 percent when the ring is used consistently.

Source: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/mtn-drd101416.php

Global TB targets risks shortfall

pNew data published by the WHO in its

2016 “Global Tuberculosis Report” show that countries need to move much faster to prevent, detect, and treat the disease if they are to meet global targets.

Governments have agreed on targets to end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic both at the World Health Assembly and at the United Nations General Assembly within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. They include a 90 percent reduction in TB deaths and an 80 percent reduction in TB cases by 2030 compared with 2015.

“We face an uphill battle to reach the global targets for tuberculosis,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director General. “There must be a massive scale-up of efforts, or countries will continue to run behind this deadly epidemic and these ambitious goals will be missed.”

The WHO 2016 “Global Tuberculosis Report” highlights the considerable inequalities among countries in enabling people with TB to access existing cost-effective diagnosis and

treatment interventions that can accelerate the rate of decline in TB worldwide. The report also signals the need for bold political commitment and increased funding.

While efforts to respond to TB saved more than three million lives in 2015, the report shows that the TB burden is actually higher than previously estimated, reflecting new surveillance and survey data from India. In 2015, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide. Six countries accounted for 60 percent of the total burden, with India bearing the brunt, followed by Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa.

An estimated 1.8 million people died from TB in 2015, of whom 0.4 million were co-infected with HIV. Although global TB deaths fell by 22 percent between 2000 and 2015, the disease was one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide in 2015, responsible for more deaths than HIV and malaria. Gaps in testing for TB and reporting new cases remain major challenges. Of the estimated 10.4 million new cases, only 6.1 million were detected and officially notified in 2015, leaving a gap of 4.3 million. This gap is due to underreporting of TB cases especially in countries with large unregulated private sectors, and under-diagnosis in countries with major barriers to accessing care.

In addition, the rate of reduction in TB cases remained static at 1.5 percent from 2014 to 2015. This needs to step up to 4–5 percent by 2020 to reach the first milestones of the World Health Assembly-approved “End TB Strategy.”

The WHO estimates that 480,000 people fell ill with MDR-TB in 2015. Three countries carry the major burden of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)—India, P5SITIVE LIVING | 4 | NOV •• DEC 2016

China, and the Russian Federation—which together account for nearly half of all cases globally. Detection and treatment gaps continue to plague the MDR-TB response. In 2015, only one in five of the people newly eligible for second-line treatment were able to access it. Cure rates continue to remain low globally at 52 percent.

“The dismal progress in the TB response is a tragedy for the millions of people suffering from this disease. To save more lives now, we must get newly recommended rapid tests, drugs, and regimens to those who need them.

Current actions and investments fall far short of what is needed,” said Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of the WHO Global TB Programme.

“The world is finally waking up to the threat of antimicrobial resistance – now is the time to accelerate the MDR-TB response.”

In 2015, 22 percent of HIV-positive TB patients were not enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ARV). The WHO recommends that ARV be made available for all HIV-positive TB patients.

For TB care and prevention, investments in low- and middle-income countries fall almost US$ 2 billion short of the US$ 8.3 billion needed in 2016. This gap will widen to US$ 6 billion by 2020 if current levels of funding are not increased.

Source: www.who.int/mediacentre/ news/releases/2016/tuberculosis-investments-short/en/

CORRECTION:

In the Vollies-themed Volunteer Profile in issue 18.5, we incorrectly stated that Gordon W. has served 20 years as a volunteer with Positive Living BC. He has, in fact, volunteered for 25 years. Kudos, and apologies, Gordon!

Positive Action’s

Fighting Words

By Neil Self

Lowering the boom on HIV services

P

ositive Living BC (along with many other communitybased HIV/AIDS service organizations) continues to experience critical funding challenges. Our main funder, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), has reduced our annual funding by some $365,000 and our annual AIDS Walk fundraising receipts fell again this year.

The society was dealt an unexpected blow from the “Sunny Ways” Federal Liberal Government of PM Justin Trudeau. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) rejected Positive Living BC’s Letter of Intent (LoI) and the Society was not invited to submit a full proposal to the HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund (CAF). This means an annual loss of $276,000 in Federal funding and complete defunding of three programs at Positive Living BC. The affected programs are: Access and Assistance, Prison Outreach, and the annual Positive Gathering. These are wellestablished and useful services that are delivered by and for PLHIV. This creates gaps in our services to HIV-positive British Columbians. In removing Positive Living BC from the funding equation, the Federal Government is denying Federal funding to the largest organization created by and for PLHIV in BC. PHAC’s defunding of community-based HIV organizations will rock the province. The pattern that has been perceived by both funded and defunded organizations is that of a shift from funding for prevention (broadly understood) and support to funding for prevention (now narrowly understood as including only what used to be called “primary prevention”) in key populations only. PHAC’s decision leaves huge gaps in essential community-based service provision—most notably, the absence of funding for organizations exclusive to the HCV community, and for organizations in the Interior Health region.

We argue that the process by which the PHAC arrived at its funding decisions was not transparent, not consistent in its criteria,

and not supportive of community-based organizations which lacked the infrastructure to submit “professional” LoI’s. The outcomes of this process are perverse in that they will result in new gaps in service provision in communities where the consequences will worsen the epidemic. Without direct services to support PLHIV, Canada has no hope of reaching the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goal, despite its public endorsement by the Minister of Health, and no alternative national plan.

CALL TO ACTION: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

We call on our MEMBERS to contact (in person, by phone, or by email) your local MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT and let them know that you support Positive Living BC’s (and other community-based AIDS services) call for the following: 5 An immediate suspension of the current PHAC Community Action Fund Letter of Intent/Request for Proposal process, 5 Extension of existing funding contracts through another fiscal year (to March 31, 2018), and 5 A review of the PHAC funding allocation process in acknowledgment of the significant negative impacts the outcomes of the current process would otherwise have on people living with HIV and HCV who require the services provided by community-based organizations. 5

Neil Self is the char of the Positive Action Committee and the Society’s chair.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 5 | NOV •• DEC 2016

The Anti-inflammatory Diet

I

By Annie Tsang

nflammation is a natural process that protects the body from an injury or exposure to a harmful substance. We’ve all experienced it—bruises on our skin or scabs forming a cut. These types of inflammation are usually short term, also known as acute. When inflammation becomes chronic, lasting from weeks to years, it can lead to diseases that affect our immune system, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc), to name a few. People with chronic inflammation are also at greater risk for obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.

Why do people have chronic inflammation? There can be many contributing factors, including poor nutrition, stress, bacterial

of this fatty acid. You can easily sprinkle ground flaxseeds on your salads or blend them in a smoothie. Supplement forms of omega-3s are not necessary if you consume enough through your diet. Just two servings of fatty fish a week can provide plenty of omega-3s in your diet. A serving is the size of a deck of playing cards, about 75 grams or 3 ounces.

As for phytonutrients, they actually contribute to the colours of vegetables and fruits that we see. Based on Canada’s Food Guide recommendations, aim for 7 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Choose your fruits and vegetables in different colours every week to ensure that you get the full spectrum of phytonutrients. Don’t like vegetables? Try adding them to

or viral infection, aging, and long-term exposure to environmental toxins. While not all factors can be avoided, we can always work to improve on how we eat, exercise, sleep, and manage our stress in order to support a healthy immune system.

Let’s talk about how we can eat to boost our immune system.

For what is commonly referred to as an ‘Anti-Inflammatory diet,’ this really isn’t a diet in the usual sense. It’s not about following a meal plan per se, but rather it’s about incorporating foods that contain potent nutrients that help to reduce our body’s inflammation processes. Omega-3 fatty acids and phytonutrients (nutrients that are found mainly in plant sources) have been well recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties. Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, and rainbow trout are excellent sources of omega-3s. Ground flax seeds also contain beneficial amounts

casseroles or soups. Keep a bag or two of frozen vegetables in your freezer—they are just as nutritious as the fresh ones.

Getting enough important nutrients into our body can be really simple—all we need is food. Set a goal to buy a new vegetable every week or to try new sources of omega-3s. Everyone likes to indulge a little, just remember that moderation is the key. As long as we are eating a variety of healthy foods most of the time, we shouldn’t feel guilty about the dessert we want on the weekends. Happy eating! 5 Annie Tsang is a registered dietitian with the HIV and Hepatitis C Gilwest clinic in Richmond.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 7 | NOV •• DEC 2016

The highs & lows of PNP As told to Neil Self The following is an anonymous interview, edited for space here, with a middle-aged HIV-positive gay male who self-reports as a crystal meth addict who has not used for just under a year.

WARNING: THE LANGUAGE IN THIS ARTICLE IS FRANK AND COULD BE TRIGGERING FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY. Positive Living: Thank you for agreeing to do this interview for Positive Living Magazine. Could you tell the readers why you chose both to be interviewed and why you have chosen to remain anonymous?

Anonymous: Primarily because of the stigma attached to drug use and addiction, but also out of concerns of being charged criminally as there were times, that … when I was in the deepest part of my addiction, I did not inform my sex partners that I was HIV-positive.

PL: Tell me about the stigma related to drug use and addiction?

A: When I first reached out for help for my addiction, I was working for a pretty progressive employer and I decided to be totally upfront and honest with my bosses and colleagues about

my addiction and the process of my recovery. I soon found out that while they talked the talk, they did not walk the walk of supporting me fully. I personally found that a few of the senior employees and a few of my superiors never treated me the same after that. There was also a lot of discrimination from within the gay community— which led to me hiding my use and becoming paranoid about being discovered.

PL: Could you give me a specific example of the discrimination from within the gay community?

A: I guess the most obvious example is found on the hook-up or personal sites. We are all aware of the current racial, body image, and HIV status discrimination— i.e. No Asians, No Fats, and “Clean” only—but there is always the ever present DDF, or “drug and disease free” or NO PNP. While I understand that these are choices that people are allowed to make, it doesn’t make it easier to discuss or cope with my addiction, and in fact, drives it underground.

PL: How did you end up using crystal meth?

A: When I was younger, like a lot of young gay men, I went to

P5SITIVE LIVING | 9 | NOV •• DEC 2016

the bars and clubs in the community and, like most people there, I drank alcohol as a social lubricant. The problem for me was that I was not fond of alcohol and I was always looking for other ways to reduce my inhibitions. I first started using cocaine—readily available in the bars—in the late-80s and early-90s as my new social lubricant and that became problematic especially after my HIV diagnosis. At the time, I did not see the connection between my increasing cocaine use and my diagnosis, but since I have been in counselling, I have come to understand the clear connection between the two.

My first foray into crystal meth use started with me acquiring the “legal ecstasy” pills (Author’s Note: they have since become illegal to sell in Canada) in an adult sex shop when I was picking up some lubricant. I enjoyed the high that they gave me (energetic and euphoric) and when they were removed from the market, I progressed to street ecstasy and then crystal meth.

PL: That provides us with a little insight around the “Chem” or “party” part of your addiction. Could you explain the “sex” or “play” part of your addiction to crystal meth?

A: I experienced two immediate reactions to crystal meth.

One was the stimulation or feeling of being awake—usually with no requirement to eat or sleep at all. I would do a hit of crystal (snort or smoke) and I would be awake and alert for hours. The second was this intense level of arousal: it made me incredibly horny. These effects, combined with access to pornography and hook-up apps and websites along with 24-hour cruising locations and bathhouses fueled my addiction.

PL: Walk us through a typical cycle of use for you personally.

A: At the height of my addiction, I would live for my PNP sessions. I would plan my other activities around that (including work and health appointments). I would visit my dealer and purchase anywhere between $80–$300 bucks of crystal meth. I would often purchase another $50–$100 bucks worth of GHB that I would use to bring the edge off of the crystal meth use. I also needed to purchase silicone lubricant (the expensive stuff) and, if I had enough money, a bottle of poppers. I also had to make sure I had all the using equipment. For me that was a glass pipe and either lighters or small torches as my method of use was smoking, or “hooting” as it was called.

It was a never-ending process of trying to find people to have sex with. The longest continuous ChemSex session for me lasted just over a week—one week without sleep, very little eating, and continually trying to hook-up. Of course, near the end of these longer sessions, I would be agitated, moody, paranoid and, in several instances, I was experiencing audio and visual hallucinations. I often started out with success in my quest to hook-up but as the drug took over, it became harder and harder to meet anyone. A typical cycle of use could also lead me to go from party to party

with a group of other high users or to the bathhouses (mostly in the day) and Stanley Park (mostly at night) in search of sex. I would often continue these sessions until I either collapsed from exhaustion or crashed (dangerously) on the GHB. I can remember waking up on a path in Stanley Park after overdosing on GHB—not remembering how I got there, what time (or day) it was.

PL: Tell us a little about any harm reduction or safer sex practices you did or did not utilize in your cycles of using crystal meth.

A: First of all, let me tell you that I never intentionally set out to have unsafe sex or to infect someone with HIV. I started off being very upfront and honest about my HIV status. In my online profiles on hook-up apps or websites, I always included my HIV status in one way or another. I always had lubricant and condoms with me to use (or for others to use), however, the longer I used over these sessions, the less inhibitions I had and the less cautious I became. The drug took over and harm reduction or safe sex was no longer a priority.

With respect to the group parties that I attended, many but not all were advertised as mixed statuses. Once the ChemSex began and as different people joined, rarely was there a discussion on HIV (or other STI) status. I can remember that at the parties where HIV was brought up, most participants either ignored it or didn’t care.

PL: What about harm reduction to yourself?

A: I always started off my sessions by religiously taking my HIV meds, however the longer I used, the more likely I was to skip or miss my HIV meds.

PL: Tell me a about your personal process of recovery?

A: It’s been a challenge. I have been through several periods of recovery, including two intakes to the Vancouver Addiction Matrix Program. I now have an open and very helpful relationship with one of my former addictions counsellors who agrees to see me on an as-needed basis. I also attend a few support groups in the community. I feel I have a good handle on my addiction but am always wary of stumbling across new or established triggers: personal crisis, boredom, going online, and even porn are some that I have identified. Another challenge for me personally is Pride, as it represented a free-for-all of sex and drugs during my addiction.

I take a lot of extra precautions around Pride to stay clean.

PL: Thank you very much for sharing your story with our readers. 5

P5SITIVE LIVING | 10 | NOV •• DEC 2016

A

By Leah Giesbrecht

rn Schilder was born in New Westminster, BC. He served as chair of BC Persons with AIDS Society during the 1990s and helped pioneer the Society’s treatment information program.

On first hearing about HIV/AIDS: I didn’t first hear about AIDS, I heard about GRID, and I read about it in January 1980.

On the effects of AIDS in the early 1980s: Everybody that had gone to San Francisco — friends, lovers, past boyfriends—started dying very quickly and in very close sequence. We all started looking at each other and wondering if we were going to be next.

On being diagnosed with HIV: In 1988, when I got diagnosed, [I was living in Victoria and] there were absolutely no resources on [Vancouver] Island at that point in time. I had to take the chopper over and come to Vancouver and see what kind of information I could get about treatment.

On becoming involved with BC Persons with AIDS Society: It was extremely difficult to move from day to day with the disease secretly. It’s like being a gay man in secret—it just doesn’t work very well. So you had to find some outlet, no matter how furtive it was.

If it was running back and forth between the Mainland and the Island just to talk to other people with HIV, and developing your own networks from that point on, then so be it. I started looking for treatment information. Alex Kowalski [at BCPWA] wanted somebody […as] a treatment information development person. I came from the Island every week, (to) spend time working on developing the treatment information project.

On medications in the early days: Some people were doing Chinese meds, and some people were doing Compound Q [trichosanthin, a drug made from an extract of a cucumber-like plant that is grown in Southeast Asia], and some people were doing DDI (didanosine). Some people couldn’t get access to drugs. So there was a little guerrilla movement of the salvage bag. People would die and their friends would bring in all their medications that they had left over. So a lot of the early antiretrovirals that were available— came back into the collective sort of distribution centre.

On turmoil and growth within the Society in the 90s: At that point in time, you had huge waves of different populations [who were living with HIV] coming in. People wanted to be able to control what was happening in their lives and maintain control over that, but they saw the Society as the tool to get it. And certainly it was, but not the way some of those groups went about it. These different groups became very dysfunctional at times, and were going through growing and learning curves—like everybody does, you learn over time as a group what works and what doesn’t.

On living with HIV today: It’s really about people with a disease and not people with a stigma attached to them, and I think that’s really the separation in people’s minds that has to happen— the separation between the stigma and the actual blood test. What we’re talking about is a blood test. But in reality, you’re dealing with a disease, and don’t need to stigmatize yourself further. 5 Leah Giesbrecht was the communications coordinator with Positive Living BC.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 12 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Coming to grips with changes

By Murray B. Hunt

The

clinic was unusually full on that first Monday in February, the routine day Robert S. went to be tested.

Though the room was full, there was little noise, as people seemed to keep to themselves. A nurse handed him the forms to complete and mentioned that it would be a while before the blood work could be taken. Every three months for the last 31 years, Robert, 60, has worried about his HIV test.

He cannot sleep in the days before his clinic visits.

There was an empty seat next to Alan B., a friend Robert knew from the community. After a nervous laugh about meeting in that particular place, the conversation turned to other matters. “I’m so worried. I haven’t been too careful, and I think I may now have to pay the ultimate price and live with the virus for the rest of my life,” Robert said.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 13 | NOV •• DEC 2016

continued next page

As if to reassure his friend, Alan told Robert about a recent trip to his own doctor. “He told me about a new tablet called PrEP,” said Alan. “PrEP is for guys like me who are at a very high risk for HIV. I take it daily to lower my chance of getting infected and the use of a condom is a choice for me to make.”

“It is the best decision I have ever made,” Alan said.

Not too long ago condoms were the only viable option for safer sex practices among men who have sex with men (MSM). Although condoms kept many men HIV-negative through the worst of the epidemic, the use of condoms to prevent HIV has created an inequality between MSM in their sexual relationships. Even within the gay community, the receiving or passive partner in intercourse is looked upon as subservient and weaker.



PrEP is the first opportunity men like me have ever had to be in full control of our HIV status.”

The relationship between men, condoms, and HIV is directly paralleled with that of birth control and female inequality. “PrEP is to the empowered passive man [what] birth control is to the empowered woman, including the “slut shaming” that both parties have often experienced as a result of their choice to take control of their health,” said Alan. Some men are good at being active while others make for better passive men. However, when it comes to mutual respect, sexual health, and protection, active and passive types do not always receive equal treatment or respect among themselves, or even by medical professionals; it is the active man has the power. “I’ve definitely felt belittled for identifying as passive,” said Alan. “We have certain expectations of someone who identifies as active and expect them to take control in sex,” continued Alan. An active man is physically in control of wearing a condom; a passive man can only negotiate its use. But when the clothes are off, the power favours the active man, according to Alan. “As the passive partner, my HIV status was always contingent on someone else’s decisions,” said Alan.

“I had to rely on the active male to make sure the condom was used or didn’t fall off or didn’t fall in or didn’t break or didn’t magically disappear, as condoms sometimes do.”

MSM who primarily are active are less at-risk for HIV infection according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Often, an active man who engages in condomless sex isn’t held nearly as responsible as a passive man is when it comes to safer sex, yet it is the active male who must physically wear the condom in question. “PrEP is the first opportunity passive men like me have ever had to be in full control of our HIV status,” said Alan. “It allows both partners, in either sexual position, to be 100 percent responsible for their pleasure and protection.”

“I never really thought of there being an imbalance in a sexual position, until one time recently when a guy and I discussed using a condom,” said Alan. “We agreed to use the condom; he grabbed the condom wrapper. I’ve noticed that I can rarely feel if a guy is wearing a condom or not, and it turned out, he wasn’t. Aside from feeling violated, I was less worried than I feel I would’ve been, because I was on PrEP, and wasn’t as concerned about HIV, while still knowing I needed to get checked for everything else.” But not every male in that situation could or would handle things as philosophically. “Now I let my sexual partners know I’m on PrEP and I’ve had some really great experiences with guys who are positive and who I probably wouldn’t have approached,” says Alan. “I would say I’m a lot more aware of my sexual health now because I get tested every three months.”



His biggest concern was using PrEP without condoms.

It went against everything he had been taught for the past 30 years. 

For Alan, PrEP means living in an environment where the fight to stay sexually healthy is held on more of an equal playing field. It means less shame and fear and a greater sense of selfworth and sexual pleasure. “For the majority of my life, all I’ve heard about sex is that it is dangerous and that it might actually kill you. So, it’s nice to not be afraid of sex anymore. And to be in control is so empowering and affirming,” said Alan.

Soon Alan was led away by a nurse for his test, leaving Robert alone to mull over all that they had discussed. Robert remembers the waiting period after Alan left with the nurse. Everything seemed to go in slow motion,” he says. “Time sort of stood still. I can recall those moments as if they happened minutes ago.”

The nurse came and took Robert into a small cubicle filled with test tubes and blood-testing equipment where she withdrew

P5SITIVE LIVING | 14 | NOV •• DEC 2016

vials of blood, checked his forms, and asked about his recent sex life. She asked why he was worried about testing positive. They talked about how he could protect himself in the future. She then directed him to the office of an HIV specialist on duty at the clinic.

Robert asked about PrEP, and the doctor proceeded to explain PrEP clinically. “It is a combination of two HIV medicines, sold under the name Truvada, which has recently been approved by Health Canada for daily use to help prevent an HIV-negative person from getting HIV from a sexual partner who’s positive,” said the doctor. “The FDA in the United States approved this regime in 2012.” He continued, “Studies have shown that PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV if it is used as prescribed. For those at very high risk for HIV, PrEP can reduce the risk of infection, if taken daily, by 96 percent.”

“It is a tool to help stop the spread of HIV. For example, if a condom breaks,” the clinic doctor said. “PrEP is the next step forward in fighting the HIV epidemic. PrEP is for people testing HIV-negative who are at very high risk for getting it.”

Gilead, the company that makes Truvada, recommends PrEP be considered for people who are HIV-negative and are in an ongoing sexual relationship with an HIV-positive partner. This recommendation also includes anyone who is not in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who recently tested HIV-negative and MSM who have had unprotected anal sex or been diagnosed with an STI in the past six months. The doctor said, “I see you meet all these recommendations.”

“Aside from nausea, no other side effects have been detected.

No other serious side effects have been observed, and these side effects aren’t life threatening,” Robert was told. “The price of tablets are not paid for by the provincial government but private insurance plans usually provide coverage.”

“Condoms should be used when you are taking PrEP. PrEP doesn’t give you any protection against other STIs, like gonorrhea and chlamydia. However, condoms provide less protection against STIs spread through skin-to-skin contact, like HPV, genital herpes, and syphilis,” the doctor continued. “You must use PrEP daily for it to work. You can stop taking PrEP if your risk of getting HIV infection becomes low because of changes in your life.”

The doctor told Robert that he could not offer him the tablets until the results of his test came back negative. With the abundance of information given to Robert, he thought he now knew enough to make an informed decision. His biggest concern was using the medication without condoms—it went against everything he had been taught for the past 30 years.

Robert, seeking more information about PrEP, called The Health Care Initiative for Men (HIM), a gay health group in Vancouver.

Joshua Edwards, a worker at HIM, told Robert that, “studies show that Truvada alone is sufficient to prevent the spread of HIV. The use of condoms is not necessary to stop the spread of HIV [when Truvada is taken as prescribed], however they do stop most STIs.” For Robert, great news was around the corner: His test came back HIV-negative, so his doctor wrote him a prescription for PrEP. Robert took it to the hospital pharmacy, as that was the only place in Vancouver that carried the drug. His insurance plan covered the cost … although it took three attempts to seal the deal.

Robert had stayed home during the testing period as requested by his doctor. He did not want to spread the disease if he was infected and wanted to make sure he stayed negative if he did not have the virus. With the good fortune of his negative diagnosis, he was going out to visit the clubs and party with his friends. Getting ready, he grabbed his lube and party drugs and stuffed them into his pockets. He took his PrEP tablet, put on a leather jacket, and headed for the door. He stopped to grab a few condoms, sticking them in his jacket pocket for easy access. Looking into the mirror, he saw the relief in his face and he smiled. Robert walked out into the Vancouver night to enjoy his newfound freedom.

Editors note: all names in this article are fictitious. 5 Murray B. Hunt is a retired schoolteacher from Toronto and a recent graduate from Langara College’s School of Journalism.

DIG DEEPER INTO PREP 5 For more information about Health Initiative for Men, HIM, visit them at www.checkhimout.ca

5 For more details about PrEP, including the most up-todate resources available in Canada, check out www.catie.ca/ en/fact-sheets/prevention/pre-exposure-prophylaxis-prep

P5SITIVE LIVING | 15 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Garden hacks for winter

T

By Lorenzo Cryer

he gray days of winter in Vancouver never make us feel like getting out into the garden. But, when the rain abates, there is much work to do. Repotting is a good idea. Lift plants that have been in the container for more than three years. This is easy to do with dormant plants. Because they are ‘asleep,’ they can be lifted and have all the soil washed off the root ball without damaging the plant.

If you empty your containers of plants for the winter, don’t let your pots dry out over winter. Soil is organic; it needs to breath and it needs water. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it is as just dirt. At it’s worst soil becomes water repellant. The plant is well watered, but it still dies. The soil has dried out and no longer has the ability to soak up and hold water. Test this by putting a handful in a glass of water. If it sinks, it is still viable.

If it floats, replace it.

Looking for an indoor project? Well, my new addiction is Tillandsias. (Commonly sold as ‘Air Plants.’) Their growth is quite surprising. I have my Tillandsia garden growing on a weather-beaten old stick I found while hiking the rivers of Vancouver Island. Had no idea why, but it had to come home with me. Using florist wire, I have wired the plants to the stick.

I hide the wire with Reindeer Moss. I glued a few painted glass tree frogs into the design. I attached a hook to it and it now hangs on the wall. I take it down daily to mist it, sometimes with a splash of plant food in the sprayer to help them flower.

Tillandsias are mainly epiphytes but are related to Bromeliads. Orchids and ferns are epiphytes, too. They take what they need to survive from the air. If you have wondered why Orchid Pots have all those holes on the sides, it is so the roots can breathe and take in nutrients and moisture. That’s

why it’s best to soak the pot every two weeks. Misting in between soakings is all that is required. I float my Tillandsia garden in the bathtub once a month.

The Tillandsias intrigue me. In less than a year, most are sporting two or three pups. A few have flowered. The flowers are truly beautiful. Suddenly there is a splash of purple and yellow in the garden. The flowers are sadly, short lived.

All Tillandsias species are frost tender. Generally, the stiff, silver-leafed varieties tolerate the full sun. The softer, greenleafed varieties prefer shade. It’s important to remember, when inside, a bright exposure is essential. Plant in well drained sphagnum moss, on slabs of bark or pieces of driftwood.

Spend time outside ‘beachcombing’ to find the perfect piece.

Mist often and water moderately. Propagate from offsets or by division in spring or early summer.

In the run up to Christmas, visit a garden centre to see if they are offering any workshops on making Christmas wreaths or decorations. Kissing balls are a favourite of mine. Mist your decorations that are plant based. Moisture is key the extending their life. Most ornaments are waterproof and/or coloursafe for this reason.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Remember, having to clean soil out from under the fingernails is a good thing.5 Lorenzo Cryer owns and operates Dig Dug Done, a garden design consultancy in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 16 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Giving Well

A DONOR PROFILE

By Zoran Stjepanovic

We first heard of Positive Living BC through our good friends and fellow supporters Javier Baragas & Kasey Reese, who invited us as their guests to the Red Ribbon Breakfast. It was at this function that we were given the tremendous opportunity to listen to many of our members speak openly about their lives.

Their courage and commitment towards the greatness and equality of all was something we absolutely wanted to be a part of.

Q: Is there anything else you want to tell us?

At

this year’s Scotiabank AIDS WALK to THRIVE, we were fortunate to have 2 Guys with Knives as one of our onsite festival sponsors. They provided meals for our top walkers and sponsors in the VIP tent and all WALK attendees got the chance to sample some of their menu selections. We are delighted and grateful to Sergio Pereira and Patrick Carr for helping us out this year. These two guys have been supporters of Positive Living BC since before the recent WALK, and we are very appreciative of their support to this year’s event.

Q. Who are you? What do you do?

We are 2 Guys with Knives, a gluten-free fitness nutrition-based meal delivery service committed to bringing artful nutrition to busy professionals and health gurus in the lower mainland.

Q. What do you like to do when not working?

We love everything fitness! You will easily catch us ripping up a beach volleyball court, strapping a pack on to attack a hike, or getting our hips grooving in a zumba class.

Q. How did you first hear about Positive Living BC? Why do you support Positive Living BC? P5SITIVE LIVING | 18 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Being a positive part of someone’s day is the reason we do what we do. We are committed to offering nutritiously decadent meal options every week that are affordable, convenient, and fully packed with artful expression.

Nutrition is for everyone and everyone’s needs are different which is why we are happy to cater towards all dietary parameters. Each of our meals is a balance of lean proteins, low glycemic carbohydrates, and tasty veggie combinations that are entirely gluten free and alongside the highest of fitness nutrition guidelines.

We would love for you to visit us as 2guyswithknives.com and reach out with any questions you may have. 5 Zoran Stjepanovic is Positive Living BC’s Director of Fund Development.

The Community: Part 3

We

By Lorenzo Cryer

need to talk about it: Mental health.

Our mental strength is important to our lives. Too many people endure silent pain, and that should not be the case. We all need to feel stable and included, a functioning part of society. My own troubles with mental health are rooted in my diagnosis.

In the mid 90s, I was told that I was HIV-positive. It wasn’t until I was quite sick, that I found the courage to tell those close to me. When I told my business partners, their response was horrific.

I lived my own Philadelphia. There was little to no support. “What are you going to do with your part of the business when you die?” they asked.

My mental health took a beating. You would be forgiven if you thought it was actually happening to them. I asked my partners to buy me out—They said they would wait until I die. I was forced to work throughout my illness. If I wanted time off, it would be without pay. And I was the founding partner of this business.

Every day I would drag my sorry, skinny ass to the office. Their aggression and fear ruled. Our relationship deteriorated. We ended up in court. That process took two years until a compassionate judge ruled in my favour. I still find it hard to forget those days. I have forgiven them, which has helped me to keep going.

My battle with mental health continued. Surviving is not always easy. There are those that are quick to tell you that you did not deserve to survive. I battled an abusive childhood, and those feelings of no self-worth started to surface. I was angry. I never felt I could be proud of what I had overcome. Having to continually dance around the truth is exhausting.

Volunteering has been vital in my recovery. As communications manager for SHINE, a fundraiser for mental health and addiction, I knew I could help make a difference. There is no room for discrimination when it comes to our mental health. I am so proud to stand with my new family, a family of survivors. It is extraordinary to watch, as we put our own issues to the side, over 200 volunteers rally and campaign for the right to talk openly and freely about our mental health.

On September 10, an amazing alliance took place at the Commodore Ballroom. Over 900 guests were treated to a riot of fashion, dance, and music. Every one who took to the stage that night gave their time to push the message of no stigma. SHINE, which had the backing of the Canadian Mental Health Association, raised $100,000 that night. The guests were treated to a spectacular show. I heard someone say, “it’s like a jewelry box exploded on the stage.” Everyone I spoke to had a story to tell.

Perhaps it was their own story or that of someone close to them.

For them, SHINE was an important event, for it brought people together in a safe space to celebrate who they are as individuals and as a united community.

I have been fortunate. I now have people in my life that I can talk to. I look back on my life and marvel at the wins I have had. They are because of the hurdles I jumped, the obstacles I maneuvered around, the disease I beat. That experience has made me the man that SHINES today. 5 Lorenzo Cryer owns and operates Dig Dug Done, a garden design consultancy in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 20 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Monthly dinner for HIV+ working guys Contact info@positivelivingbc.org

LAST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH

* Look

where we’re dining in 2016 Salmon & Bannock Milestones Nick's Spaghetti House The Flying Pig Patsara Thai

New West StrEAT Food Truckfest

COMING UP > Nuba & Burgoo COST >Price of your meal

CTN 286: TriiAdd Study

F

or most people living with HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ARV) can reduce viral levels to undetectable levels and allow for significant recovery of immune cells. While treatments are better at controlling HIV and have few side effects, many people are not able to take their medications in the prescribed way (poor adherence) and therefore are unable to achieve undetectable viral loads.

As many as 30 percent of PLHIV do not have consistently undetectable HIV levels due to rigid regimens of HIV therapy, consisting of multiple pills, that can be hard to follow.

The TriiAdd study will determine if switching from a current ARV regimen to a single-tablet regimen, combined with personalized adherence support, will improve HIV suppression by increasing treatment adherence. Triumeq, the single tablet ARV used in the study, is a combination of dolutegravir, abacavir, and 3TC. Researchers hope that this regimen will fit better into daily routine. Triumeq may have more benefits compared to other regimens, including fewer side effects and drug-drug interactions.

This study is recruiting PLHIV who have recently struggled with adherence. For the purposes of this study, a person with an unanticipated increase in HIV viral load in the blood in the past 12 months, known as a viral blip, will be considered non-adherent.

Study participants will be randomized to either receive Triumeq or remain on their current ARV regimen (control group). After 24 weeks on their current ARV, the control group will be given the option to switch Triumeq. All participants will get personalized adherence counselling during the study (community resources and support, text/phone reminders, and drop-in sessions at community health centres).

The aim of the study is to compare the proportion of participants who achieve low virus levels (viral suppression) in the Triumeq versus control group after 24 weeks. The study investigators will also look to see if adherence is improved, both during the 24 weeks and over a longer period of time (72 weeks). Changes in immune function and viral load will be analyzed over the 72-week period. By doing so, researchers

By Sean Sinden

hope to see if improvements in viral control were a result of increased adherence or the effectiveness of the new drug. 5 Sean Sinden is the Communications and Knowledge Translation Officer for the CTN.

Studies enrolling in BC , a partial list CTNPT 003

Bone and renal outcomes in tenofovir exposed BC site: BC Women’s Oak Tree Clinic

CTNPT 011

Monitoring penicillin levels for syphilis BC sites: St. Paul’s | Oak Tree Clinic

CTNPT 014

Kaletra/Celsentri combination therapy for HIV in the setting of HCV BC sites: Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre (VIDC), Vancouver | Cool Aid Community Clinic, Victoria

CTN 222

Canadian co-infection cohort BC site: St. Paul’s

CTN 248

Incentives Stop AIDS and HIV in drug users BC sites: VIDUS/ACCESS Project, Vancouver | Cool Aid Community Clinic, Victoria

CTN 286

TriiAdd Study BC sites: Cool AID Community Clinic, Victoria | Oak Tree Clinic; Vancouver IDC

CTN 288

LHIVE healthy Online, nation-wide

CTN 291

Pre-term birth in HIV-positive pregnancies

Visit the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network database at www.hivnet.ubc.ca for more info.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 23 | NOV •• DEC 2016

In grateful recognition of the generosity of Positive Living BC supporters Gifts received July – August 2016

$5000+ LEGACY CIRCLE Peter Chung

$2,500-$4,999 VISIONARIES

Wildlife Thrift Store

$1000 - $2499 CHAMPIONS

Gina Best J. Bhandary Victor Elkins Don Evans Paul Goyan Dean Nelson Fraser Norrie Alin Senecal-Harkin Harvey Strydhorst Bramwell Tovey Metropolitan Pharmacy

$500 - $999 LEADERS

Robert Bailey Cheryl Basarab Deborah Bourque Melody Burton Emet G. Davis Christian M. Denarie Scott Elliott Fornax Holdings LTD James Goodman Silvia Guillemi David Hall

Cliff Hall Ross Harvey Mike Holmwood Rebecca Johnston Brian Lambert Dean Mirau Gary Paterson Leslie Rae Ryan Seitz Blair Smith Dean Thullner David C. Veljacic Mahmoud Virani

$150 - $499 HEROES

Wayne Avery Cheryl Basarab Lorne Berkovitz John Bishop Graeme Boyd Glen Bradford Elizabeth Briemberg Susan C. Burgess Robert Capar Erik Carlson Patrick Carr Aimee Cho Len Christiansen Vince Connors Ken Coolen Maxine Davis Edith Davidson Glynis Davisson Carmine Digiovanni Gretchen Dulmage

Patricia Dyck Dena R. Ellery Don Evans Stephen French Ricardo Hamdan Jean Sebastian Hartell Ron J. Hogan Kerry Jang Pam Johnson Tiko Kerr Sophie Lui Colin Macdonald Tony Marchigiano Kenton R. McBurney Mike McKimm Kate McMeiken Mark Mees Laura H. Morris James Ong Dennis Parkinson Penny Parry Bonnie Pearson Sergio Pereira Mary Petty Angelika Podgorska Darrin D. Pope Adam Reibin Katherine M. Richmond Lillian Soga Keith A. Stead Ronald G. Stipp Jane Talbot Ross Thompson Stephanie Tofield Glyn A. Townson Ralph E. Trumpour Brian A. Yuen

P5SITIVE LIVING | 24 | NOV •• DEC 2016

$20 - $149 FRIENDS

Bernard Anderson Jeff Anderson Lisa Bradbury Chris Clark Barry DeVito Jamie Dolinko Tobias Donaldson Tracey Hearst Heather Inglis Chris Kean Miranda Leffler Sharon Lou-Hing Salvatore Martorana Angela McGie Lindsay Mearns Provincial Employees Community Services Fund Lisa Raichle Andrea Reimer Adrian Smith Zoran Stjepanovic Adrienne Wong John Yano

To make a contribution to Positive Living BC, contact the director of development, Zoran Stjepanovic.  zorans@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2282

PROFILE OF A VOLUNTEER

Paul has been instrumental in training new volunteers; he always steps up to fill in whenever he can.

Brandon Laviolette, treatment, health and wellness coordinator

*Paul Kerber*

What is your volunteer history with Positive Living BC? I’ve been volunteering in community since the late eighties. I started with Positive Living in 2013 in health promotion at the complementary therapies booking desk. Recently I’ve been getting my feet wet at Community Health Fund.

Why did you pick Positive Living BC? I wanted to engage with community.

How would you rate Positive Living BC? Positive Living is excellent. I have seen the incredible impact it’s had on so many people. It’s an open, inclusive environment with something for everyone.

What are Positive Living BC ‘s strongest points?

One of the positive points is it really are the people. The other volunteers I work with are terrific and the programs I help support are amazing.

What is your favourite memory of your time as a volunteer at Positive Living BC? The parties. And the connections I’ve made with members and volunteers.

What do you see in the future at and /or for Positive Living BC? I look forward to our new building next summer.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 25 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Where to find

HELP

If you’re looking for help of information on HIV/AIDS, the following list is a starting point.

For more comprehensive listings of HIV/AIDS organizations and services, please visit www.positivelivingbc.org/links

bA LOVING SPOONFUL

Suite 100 – 1300 Richards St, Vancouver, BC V6B 3G6  604.682.6325  clients@alovingspoonful.org  lovingspoonful.org

cAIDS SOCIETY OF KAMLOOPS

(ASK WELLNESS CENTRE) 433 Tranquille Road Kamloops, BC V2B 3G9  250.376.7585 or 1.800.661.7541  info@askwellness.ca  askwellness.ca

bAIDS VANCOUVER

803 East Hastings Vancouver, BC V6A 1RB  604.893.2201  contact@aidsvancouver.org  aidsvancouver.org

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Victoria)

713 Johnson Street, 3rd Floor Victoria, BC V8W 1M8  250.384.2366 or 1.800.665.2437  info@avi.org  avi.org

 gary@ankors.bc.ca

 ankors.bc.ca

bANKORS (WEST)

101 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H1  250.505.5506 or 1.800.421.AIDS  information@ankors.bc.ca  ankors.bc.ca

bDR. PETER CENTRE

1110 Comox Street Vancouver, BC V6E 1K5  604.608.1874  info@drpetercentre.ca  drpetercentre.ca

bLIVING POSITIVE

RESOURCE CENTRE OKANAGAN 168 Asher Road Kelowna, BC V1X 3H6  778.753.5830 or 1.800.616.2437  info@lprc.ca  livingpositive.ca

bMCLAREN HOUSING

200-649 Helmcken Street Vancouver, BC V6B 5R1  604.669.4090  info@mclarenhousing.com  mclarenhousing.com

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Campbell River) bOKANAGAN ABORIGINAL AIDS  250.830.0787 or 1.877.650.8787  info@avi.org  avi.org/campbellriver

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Courtenay)  250.338.7400 or 1.877.311.7400  info@avi.org  avi.org/courtenay

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Nanaimo)  250.753.2437 or 1.888.530.2437  info@avi.org  avi.org/nanaimo

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Port Hardy)  250.902.2238  info@avi.org  avi.org/porthardy

bANKORS (EAST)

46 - 17th Avenue South Cranbrook, BC V1C 5A8  250.426.3383 or 1.800.421.AIDS

SOCIETY 200-3717 Old Okanagan Way Westbank, BC V4T 2H9  778.754.5595  info@oaas.ca  oaas.ca

bPOSITIVE LIVING

FRASER VALLEY SOCIETY Unit 1 – 2712 Clearbrook Road Abbotsford, BC V2T 2Z1  604.854.1101  info@plfv.org  plfv.org

bPOSITIVE LIVING NORTH

#1 - 1563 Second Avenue Prince George, BC V2L 3B8  250.562.1172 or 1.888.438.2437  positivelivingnorth.org P5SITIVE LIVING | 26 | NOV •• DEC 2016

bPOSITIVE LIVING NORTH WEST

3862F Broadway Avenue Smithers, BC V0J 2N0  250.877.0042 or 1.866.877.0042  plnw.org

bPURPOSE SOCIETY FOR YOUTH & FAMILIES 40 Begbie Street New Westminster, BC V3M 3L9  604.526.2522  info@purposesociety.org  purposesociety.org

bRED ROAD HIV/AIDS NETWORK

61-1959 Marine Drive North Vancouver, BC V7P 3G1  778.340.3388  info@red-road.org  red-road.org

bVANCOUVER NATIVE HEALTH SOCIETY 449 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6A 1P5  604.254.9949  vnhs@shawbiz.ca  vnhs.net

bVANCOUVER ISLAND PERSONS

LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS SOCIETY 1139 Yates Street Victoria, BC V8V 3N2  250.382.7927 or 1.877.382.7927  support@vpwas.com  vpwas.com

bWINGS HOUSING SOCIETY 12–1041 Comox Street Vancouver, BC V6E 1K1  604.899.5405  wingshousing@shaw.ca  wingshousing.org

bYOUTHCO

205–568 Seymour Street Vancouver, BC V6B 3J5  604.688 1441 or 1.855.968.8426  info@youthco.org  youthco.org

POSITIVE LIVING BC SOCIETY BUSINESS UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS

JOIN A SOCIETY COMMITTEE!

WEDNESDAYS 3 pm | BOARD ROOM

If you are a member of the Positive Living Society of BC, you can join a committee and help make important decisions for the Society and its programs and services. To become a voting member on a committee, you will need attend three consecutive committee meetings. Here is a list of some committees. For more committees visit positivelivingbc.org, and click on “Get Involved” and “Volunteer”.

November 16, 2016

Reports to be presented >> Standing Committees | Director of Operations & Administration | Events Attended

November 23, 2016

Reports to be presented >> Written Executive Director Report | Executive Committee | Quarterly Department Reports - 2nd Quarter | Financial Statements - September | Director of CBR | Events Attended

December 7, 2016

Reports to be presented >> Complete Board Evaluation Chart (1) | Executive Committee | Director of HR | Financial Statements – October | External Committee Reports | Events Attended

December 21, 2016

Reports to be presented >> Standing Committees | Written Executive Director Report | Events Attended Positive Living BC is located at 803 East Hastings, Vancouver, V6A 1R8.

For more information, contact: Alexandra Regier, director of operations  604.893.2292 |  alexr@positivelivingbc.org

Name________________________________________ Address __________________ City_____________________ Prov/State _____ Postal/Zip Code________ Country______________ Phone ________________ E-mail_______________________ I have enclosed my cheque of $______ for Positive Living m $25 in Canada m $50 (CND $) International Please send ______ subscription(s)

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P5SITIVE LIVING | 27 | NOV •• DEC 2016

Last Blast Creme Eggs, Intersections, and Little John

In

By Mike O’Shaughnessy

2005, I was sitting in 10D at St Paul’s Hospital at the bedside of a dear man dying, my friend Little John. During this visit, I had a plastic bag on my lap as we talked. He finally broke down and asked me what was in there.

His favourite thing in the world: Cadbury Creme Eggs. Now this was in the summer so it wasn’t Easter or anything like that, which led to the next obvious question. Why? Why did I have them?

I poured them out over his lap and said to him in all earnestness: So that he could hide them. In an hour, he’d forget and they’d be little treasures he’d find for the rest of the day.

He almost fell out of his hospital bed laughing. His family? Not so impressed.

Little John died September 6, 2005. This time of year gets me thinking about him, obviously. But it also is a strong reminder, for me, of the complicated nature of things.

One of the best laughs I had with him was over those chocolates. He loved it. And it will always make me laugh uncontrollably when I tell the story because it’s just so … wrong. This, if you know me, is about where I live my life— at the intersection of Wrong and Ain’t Right.

But as I get older I find myself at more and more intersections. I am poz and have been for 12 years.

From one perspective, people like to tell me how great things are now, how awesome things are today, and how very much “not like it was” things are. From another perspective, there is still a hell of a lot of issues in this world when one has HIV. But it seems like it’s all or nothing: All brightness and light, or all death and despair.

Life, and all the parts between birth and death, is complicated; A mess of tangles, of intersections, and of one-way streets. Humour at the grave, tears at the cradle, and every glorious, complicated moment in between.

As is this disease. It’s a thumbprint that will never go away from my life, from how I talk to people, to the people no longer around to talk to. To the way I view things, like human rights, and to the way I am viewed.

When Val Nicholson wrote in the July-August 2016 issue’s ‘Last Blast’ column about being a grown up kid, I was nodding along. (By the way, read it. It’s a great bit of writing and some sound advice.) We are all capable of being a complex mix of things. Usually we are healthier for it.

In today’s world of health messaging you’d think that either HIV is cured (“we have pills for that!”) or that it’s the end of the world (“stigma! stigma!”) But it’s both. And neither. And individual and different while being exactly the same every day … if you can see what I mean. I’d rather see conversations where it’s okay to have good and bad days, sometimes even on the same day.

Days like, for me, the one filled with laughter on Little John’s deathbed.

And by the way, Little John did hide them. And found them two hours later and asked “Where the hell did this come from?” When I told him? He laughed until he cried. 5 Mike O’Shaughnessy is not allowed to sum himself up as “born in 1972, not dead yet.”

Instead, he describes himself as a fairly average person, last seen in the presence of rather extraordinary people, living as best as he’s able. Send chocolate.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 28 | NOV •• DEC 2016

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