Positive Living Magazine

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

ISSN 1712-8536

MAY • JUNE 2017 VOLUME 19 • NUMBER 3

Inmate's lament Fighting stigma from inside Refugees’ Raw Deal

RIP PWN

Studies on Mortality

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PAC’S FIGHTING WORDS

Flaws in the Refugee Loan Program

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COVER STORY One man’s ordeal navigating stigma and treatment from prison

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AIDS & ASSUMPTIONS Where we are going wrong

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NUTRITION Assessing the nutritional value of coconut oil

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HIV AND MORTALITY Are PLHIV turning the corner

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THE POSITIVE GARDENER BACK TALK Put your green thumb to work this summer

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POZ CONTRIBUTIONS Recognizing Positive Living BC supporters

Finding relevancy in yesterday’s HIV news

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VOLUNTEER PROFILE Volunteering at Positive Living BC

 positivelivingbc.org

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SISTER TO SISTER A call to arms after the loss of PWN

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GIVING WELL

Positive Living Donor Profile

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LAST BLAST Some final thoughts on Sex Now

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 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

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 (co- chair), Neil Self (co- chair), Tyler Chudday, Ross Harvey, Joel Nim Cho Leung, Elgin Lim, Jason Motz, Adam Reibin MANAGING EDITOR Jason Motz DESIGN / PRODUCTION Britt Permien FACTCHECKING Sue Cooper COPYEDITING Maylon Gardner, Heather G. Ross PROOFING Ashra Kolhatkar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chad Clarke, Lorenzo Cryer, Andrew Ehman, Paul Goyan, Tom McAulay, Jenn Messina, Jason Motz, Val Nicholson, Neil Self, Sean Sinden, Brian G. Williams PHOTOGRAPHY Britt Permien

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATION Adam Reibin DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Elgin Lim TREATMENT OUTREACH COORDINATOR Alan Wood SUBSCRIPTIONS / DISTRIBUTION John Kozachenko Funding for Positive Living is provided by the BC Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch and by subscription and donations.

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© 2017 Positive Living

from the chair

NEIL SELF

A Gathering force of activism

If

you were part of Positive Gathering 2017, you will have surely noticed how community activism is becoming a key part of life with HIV…again. Indeed, the Gathering organizers chose activism as this year’s theme to reflect a changing atmosphere for people living with HIV in BC. We often look back to the 1980’s and 1990’s as the high point of the HIV/AIDS movement. While we lost many friends and family to the disease during this period, our hearts can still fill with pride from the battles we won to make life better for PLHIV. By mobilizing as a loud, passionate community with an unyielding resolve, we helped secure a brighter outlook for our peers. Pharmaceutical treatments are only one factor of good HIV health. My peers and I are surviving today due in large part to HIV-specific social, emotional, and educational supports Positive Living BC members have fought to deliver.

When government cutbacks in 2016 threatened the sustainability of Positive Living BC’s programming—and that of many of our partner agencies throughout BC—we fought back. As a result, funding has been restored on a temporary basis. Presumably, some levels of government are coming to realize that denying PLHIV of their supports with no back-up plan will place an incredible burden on other areas of health and welfare. Still, the government has no long-term plan for PLHIV once the temporary funding runs out.

At the time of this writing, the BC provincial election just wrapped. This was a close race and it has brought many new

P5SITIVE LIVING | 2 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

players into the Legislature. Therefore, I can think of no better time for our members to make their needs known to these people who are meant to be protecting our best interests. Secure housing, guaranteed income, extended benefits coverage: these universal concerns have special meaning for PLHIV. We will need to fight hard over the next few years to secure specialized attention from our government.

The success of our fight will doubtless require a lot of meetings, discussion, and clerical work—the bricks and mortar, if you will. If that sort of work interests you, contact me at neils@positivelivingbc.org to get involved in our Positive Action Committee.

Or better yet, consider running for our board of directors at this upcoming Annual General Meeting in August.

I’m convinced our fight will also require all the flare, creativity, and passion that helped characterize the early HIV/AIDS movement I mentioned. Actively supporting events, like our upcoming Scotiabank AIDS WALK to tHrIVe festival in September, is a great way for you to join in the excitement.

In this sense, I’m particularly proud of how well RED: A Positive Day in Vegas showed off all the glitz, glamour, and talent amongst PLHIV. I must extend a special thank you to Dean Thullner, who produced the event and surpassed my already jackedup expectations with a breath-taking show.

Kudos to everyone who supported Positive Living BC in this loud and proud venue! 5

TB/HIV co-infection rates increase: EU

pData collected by the European Centre

for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) shows new co-infection rates rose by forty percent between 2011 and 2015. In comparison, new tuberculosis cases and deaths in non-HIV-positive people in the European Union dropped 4.3 percent and 8.5 percent respectively each year.

“The flare-up of TB/HIV co-infections from 2011 to 2015, together with persistently high rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis, (undermines) progress made towards ending tuberculosis (TB), the goal that European and world leaders have committed to achieve by 2030,” says Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “One in three people co-infected with TB/HIV do not know about their status, which (reduces) their chances of being cured. In turn, this favours the spread of the diseases, putting health systems and governments under pressure.”

“The European Commission is committed to mobilising all available tools to help EU countries meet the global commitments made in international forum within the given deadlines,” says Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. “TB affects the most vulnerable members of our societies and often coexists with other conditions such as HIV or viral hepatitis.”

Similar to the trend in the whole WHO European Region, the number of new TB cases in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) has decreased since 2002. However, with an annual decrease

of 5 percent, the EU/EEA will not reach the set target to end TB that would require an annual decrease of at least 10 percent.

“The general downward trend in reported TB cases is encouraging,” says ECDC Acting Director Dr. Andrea Ammon, “but some groups are not benefiting from this trend, and we need to target our efforts better if we want to end the TB epidemic.

Looking at the data for the EU/EEA, we see that the TB treatment success rate of coinfected patients is below the global target of 85 percent. But although we know about the challenges of TB/HIV co-infection, for two out of three TB patients the essential information on their HIV status was not reported in 2015. We need to get better at this.”

People suffering from TB/HIV co-infection are at seven times higher risk of failing treatment and have a three times higher risk of dying than people with TB only. Providing testing to all TB patients for HIV and vice versa, together with counselling and rapid treatment, could reverse the negative trend.

Source: ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/ecdc-tuberculosis-surveillance-monitoring-Europe-2017.pdf

Risky sex and mental health in AfricanAmerican youth

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Nearly half of all US adolescents aged 13-19 are sexually active. But AfricanAmerican adolescents, who represent only 14 percent of that population, account for 63 percent of new cases of HIV among adolescents. It’s estimated that more than 2 million adolescents, many of whom are sexually active, experience a P5SITIVE LIVING | 3 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

major depressive episode. Could unique psychological factors that hamper emotional regulation help explain differences in HIV/ STI risk-related sexual behaviours among heterosexually active African-American youth with mental illnesses?

A new University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) study investigated this question. The findings suggest that psycho-education and skills building may help sever the emotion-behaviour link that contributes to HIV/STI risk amongst this demographic. The study, “Feelings Matter: Depression Severity and Emotion Regulation in HIV/STI Risk-Related Sexual Behaviors,” published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies, was designed to examine contextual factors related to HIV/STI risk among heterosexually active African-American adolescents with mental illnesses. It explicitly focused on depression and emotion regulation to uncover how these factors influence sexual decision-making.

“Blacks, adolescents, and people with mental illnesses are all disproportionately affected by HIV/STIs,” explains the study’s lead author Bridgette M. Brawner. “We know that the unique psychopathology of mental illness, including impulsivity and engaging in unprotected sex to alleviate depressed mood, may heighten one’s HIV/STI risk. Our study indicates we need to better understand unique HIV/STI prevention needs among black adolescents with mental illnesses and that improving coping mechanisms to help regulate emotion should be addressed in HIV/STI prevention research.”

Source: https://www.eurekalert. org/pub_releases/2017-03/uopseai032717.php

Status quo intervention could see millions of HIV infections by 2037

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Development and widespread use of a vaccine that’s even partially effective against HIV, along with more progress toward diagnosis and treatment, offer the best hopes for turning the corner on a global pandemic that’s still spiraling out of control, a new report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says.

Data in the report show that HIV infections are surging; millions of people who have been diagnosed are not getting treatment.

Since 2010, the global prevalence of HIV infections has increased to 37 million individuals.

In 2014, 1.2 million people in the US were infected. The good news is that 87 percent of those infections have been diagnosed, which is near the United Nations (UN) target established in 2013. The bad news is that of those diagnosed cases, only about half (52 percent) of people known to have HIV in the US are being treated.

“Both around the world and in the US, HIV/AIDS are still nowhere close to being under control,” said Jane Medlock, lead author on the study. “Given the efforts made against HIV/AIDS and the fact it can now be treated, the continued rate of spread is surprising. Even the cost of drugs, at least for the initial treatments, is relatively low. But this problem is still getting worse, not better, and our research suggests the value of prospective vaccines could be very significant.”

Under the “status quo” levels of intervention, the research found, the world may expect about 49 million new cases of HIV infection during the next 20 years. If

ambitious targets for diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression are reached, 25 million of these new infections could be prevented, the study concluded.

Adding a vaccine by 2020 that was even 50 percent effective could prevent another 6.3 million infections, and it might have the potential to reverse the HIV pandemic.

A concern is that the goals set by the United Nations for diagnosis and treatment “may be more aspirational than practical,” the researchers say. The latest UN targets, established in 2014, are “95-95-95,” meaning a 95 percent success rate, by country, in diagnosing HIV infections, treating those infected, and achieving viral suppression in those being treated. Some countries are near that, others not even close. In Botswana, 22 percent of all people over age 15 have HIV, but the diagnosis and treatment goals are at 80-97-90. South Africa has a similar rate of infections but much less effective treatment.

Civil unrest in Afghanistan and Yemen, as well as harsh drug laws in Indonesia, have hampered screening and diagnosis, the researchers said in their study. Malaysia, the United States and India have high rates of diagnosis but struggle to engage people in actual treatment.

“The U.S. approach to controlling HIV infections and treatment is grossly inadequate,” Medlock said. “We diagnose people, but then they aren’t getting the treatment they need.”

Due to these concerns and the large gap between goals and current reality, the search for an effective vaccine gains even more importance, the researchers said.

They point out that even achieving the U.N. P5SITIVE LIVING | 4 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

goals in many countries - including the U.S. - would not be sufficient to reverse the growth of people living with HIV. Vaccines already exist, but are mostly in clinical trials and have less effectiveness than hoped for. (One existing candidate has about 60 percent efficacy for the first year after vaccination, dropping to 31 percent efficacy 3.5 years later. Last November, a modified version of this vaccine began large-scale, phase three trials in South Africa, with hopes for higher efficacy.)

Even without improvements in current global levels of diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression, the study suggested that a vaccine with 50 percent efficacy could avert 17 million new HIV infections during the next 20 years.

A combined approach of better diagnosis, treatment and a vaccine is still the best bet, the report concludes. Especially helpful would be to target interventions to high-risk groups, such as sex workers, people who share needles, men who have sex with men, and inmates.

“Given the challenges inherent in treatment as prevention and in vaccination, a combined approach would be the most feasible and effective strategy to address the HIV pandemic in each of the 127 countries considered,” the scientists wrote in their study.

The analysis of the possible future of HIV/AIDS, and what steps might best help address the issue, was published by researchers from Oregon State University and the Yale School of Public Health, in work supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Source: www.pnas.org/content/114/15/4017 5

By Andrew Ehman

Open borders, open hearts

It

is with grave concern that I am writing regarding the plight of our Canadian refugees. A significant proportion of Positive Living BC’s membership are current or former refugees. Canada is seen on the world stage as a welcoming country of equality and compassion— but we are letting refugees down.

The trauma faced by refugees attempting to relocate to Canada is staggering. Often their neighbourhoods have been devastated, in many cases their homes. They suffer grief due to loss of family and loved ones. They come to us from warzones, or seek sanctuary from persecution. Some make it to a refugee camp, many suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). They face a language barrier and culture shock. If they are HIV-positive, there is little to no access to medical treatment—or they hide their status for fear of stigma.

Refugees that are fortunate enough to be selected for immigration to Canada must undergo medical testing and, if accepted, are required to pay for the procedures plus their own travel expenses to Canada. This has recently been waived in the case of Syrian refugees—why not make this the standard?

The Federal Government of Canada has a travel loan program in place to assist refugees who are unable to pay for travel expenses on their own, but there is a catch.

The Government requires refugees and their dependants admitted into Canada to repay the costs of their transportation through the Immigration Loan Program (ILP), but Canada charges interest on its loans to refugees.

No other country does this, so why is Canada playing loan shark when empathy, understanding, and generosity are the hallmarks of Canadian culture? What refugees coming to Canada need is our generosity, not another levy. Why are we imposing taxes on people fleeing desperate situations? This is not right. This is un-Canadian.

Refugees are reliant on the charity of sponsoring individuals or groups, most are enrolled in English language classes, and their employment prospects are dire. They are eligible for Social Assistance payments, but only for one year. In order to repay the loans they have taken on, many choose to forgo the English classes and accept whatever work they can find.

The Canadian Senate Committee on Human Rights is recommending replacing immigration loans for transportation expenses with a grant to free our refugees from the burden of debt and interest. It’s time for the Federal Government to step up and support the Senate’s recommendations with legislation. And you can help.

Firstly, inform you friends, family, and contacts about this situation. The more voices we have, the louder the chorus.

Secondly, write to Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Mr. Hussen is a Somali refugee himself and no stranger to the pressures of the process. Write to House of Commons, Ottawa ON, K1A 0A6, or email him at Ahmed.Hussen@parl.gc.ca.

Thirdly, start or sign a petition, then pass it around your network.

I hope that you will be moved to help right this situation for our refugee brothers and sisters so that they may feel welcome in their new Canadian home. 5

Andrew Ehman is a Director of Positive Living BC and the Chair of REL8 Okanagan

P5SITIVE LIVING | 5 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

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For more info > SuitsandOu+doorsmen@positivelivingbc.org or www.positivelivingbc.org

What’s the deal with coconut oil?

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By Jenn Messina

he reported benefits of coconut oil range from promoting weight loss and preventing heart disease to being a natural treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. But is there any truth to the hype?

Cholesterol helps our body build new cells, insulates our nerves, and spurs hormone production. The two main types of cholesterol in the body are: LDL, (low density lipoprotein), carries fat from the liver and drops it inside the arteries of the body. This can lead to clogged arteries that narrow and reduce blood flow to the heart. We can remember this type by thinking ‘L’ is for the ‘lousy’ cholesterol. HDL, (high density lipoprotein), collects fatty deposits from the arteries and brings it back to the liver to be broken down. Think of ‘H’ as the ‘happy’ cholesterol.

The main fats that increase lousy cholesterol come from saturated fats, fats found in meat, poultry skin, tropical oils, cheese and other high-fat dairy products; and trans fats, fats found in fried foods, commercial pastries, processed foods, margarine and shortening.

Coconut oil is a solid fat at room temperature but turns to liquid when heated. It is 91 percent saturated fat so it should increase LDL and total cholesterol. The chemical composition of coconut oil and the saturated fat in it differs from other sources of saturated fat such as butter, lard, or red meat, and it metabolizes differently.

Research suggests that a diet rich in coconut oil is associated with high HDL cholesterol levels. This outcome has been confirmed by some trial studies conducted in young adults (with normal cholesterol) that have reported that coconut oil (about 2 tbsp/day) modestly increases HDL levels. This implies that coconut oil doesn’t seem

to raise the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to the same levels as butter. But it does increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol more than other vegetable oils (such as safflower oil).

What about PLHIV? The studies mentioned above were not done with PLHIV. PLHIV already have increased risk of elevated cholesterol due to the effects of some HIV medications, inflammation with the HIV virus itself, in addition to traditional risk factors such as genes, diet, smoking, aging and weight. It is in your best interest to stick to what we know: unsaturated fats such as nuts and seeds, olive oil, vegetable oils, avocado and fatty fish are the best heart healthy options.

Be mindful that coconut oil is still fat. Fat has double the calories of carbohydrates or protein, gram for gram, so it packs a punch for energy. (One tablespoon has about 120 calories). If you are dieting and want to enjoy coconut oil, then use it instead of other fats. Adding large amounts to foods that you wouldn’t normally add fat to, like a smoothie, would be a bad idea and could add to weight gain and cholesterol issues.

And those other health claims? There are no reliable studies looking at the effects of coconut oil for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, viral infections or other health conditions.

So, we can’t say if coconut oil lives up to its reputation or not. 5 Jenn Messina is a Registered Dietitian working in the HIV Outpatient area of St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 7 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

HIV and mortality

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Are PLHIV turning the corner?

LHIV who are receiving combination antiretroviral drugs can now live long, full lives—increasingly comparable to those who are HIV-negative. Two recent studies by the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) point to what else has changed now that PLHIV are expected to live much longer. One study describes how mortality rates and causes of death have changed over time for those living with and without HIV, and how these changes compare. Another study compares the time spent in healthy states for PLHIV to those without HIV. (See sidebar for more information on these two studies.)

Both studies draw data from the BC-CfE’s Comparative Outcomes And Service Utilization Trends (COAST) study. COAST is a population-based retrospective study aiming to examine the health outcomes and health service use of HIV-positive men and



women, as compared to a random 10 percent sample of the total population of British Columbia. The study is the first of its kind in Canada and contains a wealth of health data spanning about a decade and a half (from 1996 to 2013).

Oghenowede (Ede) Eyawo is a researcher at the BC-CfE and is a Co-Principal Investigator on the COAST Study. This article originally appeared online at PositiveLite.com. It appears here by kind permission in an edited form.

BC-CfE: What do we know about HIV and mortality today?

Oghenowede Eyawo (OE): Our study, published in the BioMedCentral Infectious Diseases Journal (BMC) , investigated the changes in mortality rates and causes of death of PLHIV, and compared them to those of a random sample of British

Notably, there are disparities in longevity with HIV for women, people of Aboriginal descent, and injection drug users.  Oghenowede Eyawo

continued next page P5SITIVE LIVING | 9 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

Columbians. The findings showed a huge drop in mortality rates from when lifesaving combination antiretroviral treatment was introduced—a treatment which is now the gold standard in HIV treatment. There was an over 90 percent reduction in the mortality rate from HIV/AIDS-related causes when rates were compared from 1996 to that those from the 2011-2012 era. Amongst both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals, non-AIDS-defining cancers are currently the leading non-HIV/ AIDS-related cause of mortality.

BC-CfE: What is the significance of this research?

(OE): Through our research, we can confirm that PLHIV are no longer as likely to die from AIDS as they were several decades ago. Overall quality of life is also improving for people living with HIV, who are also dying less often from diseases of the liver and from drug use or overdoses. It is important to note that HIV-negative individuals still have lower overall mortality. Deaths from neurological disorders are the exception to this rule: HIV-negative individuals appear to die more from neurological disorders compared to HIV-positive individuals, as these increase with age. But here, too, there has been a shift: compared to the mid-1990s, PLHIV are now trending more towards developing ailments of the nervous system, likely a reflection of longer lives and aging.

BC-CfE: What is the overall life expectancy of PLHIV in Canada?

(OE): PLHIV are now expected to live full and active lives on sustained and consistent antiretroviral treatment. According to previous research from the BC-CfE, [HIV-positive]individuals who … are on treatment are now expected to live to 65 years of age. This is a notable improvement since the emergence and peak of the epidemic in the early 1990s, however it is still below that of the general population. Notably, there remain disparities in longevity with HIV for women, people of Aboriginal descent, and vulnerable groups such as injection drug users.

BC-CfE: What has led to PLHIV living longer?

(OE): The development of lifesaving drugs laid the groundwork for a major shift in how we treat HIV. Treatment as Prevention (TasP), a groundbreaking concept pioneered by BC-CfE Director Dr. Julio Montaner, is based on the idea of expanding access to HIV testing and earlier access to treatment as a means of controlling the epidemic. On treatment, an individual can achieve an undetectable viral load, at which point their health and longevity greatly improve and their chances of spreading

the virus drop to negligible. We know that starting treatment early and staying on treatment consistently improves health outcomes. Before, we had a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, but now we can better refine medicine if there are instances of drug resistance, for example.

BC-CfE: How can we address concerns for individuals living with HIV? (OE): Another recent BC-CfE study, published in The Lancet HIV, found that, while PLHIV are living longer, they are spending less overall time in healthy states than the general population. And this disparity was found to widen across gender lines, affecting women more than men. Individuals living with HIV still face higher rates of concurrent chronic illness than the general population. It is important to address their shorter life expectancies and their wide range of needs for health care services.

BC-CfE: Why is it important to monitor causes of death amongst PLHIV? (OE): Monitoring helps to better understand the impact of increased access to treatment with antiretrovirals. It is critical to know where there are gaps in access so they can be addressed.

Expanding earlier testing and access to treatment is key to ending AIDS. It is also important to know what ailments or conditions are tending to affect the health and well-being of patients with HIV as they age. Those who are aging with HIV may be living with multiple health concerns and juggling a number of prescription medicines. Knowledge gained through research supports health care providers in helping them navigate the health care system confidently and efficiently. 5

FURTHER INFORMATION

5 For more information about COAST ”� 5 5 5 5

www.cfenet.ubc.ca/research/coast To read the study published via BMC ” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28241797 For more on the life expectancy study ” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28262574 For a comprehensive bio of Oghenowede (Ede) Eyawo ” www.cfenet.ubc.ca/about-us/team/eyawo-o.

For more about BC-CfE ” www.cfenet.ubc.ca/

P5SITIVE LIVING | 10 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

Sister to Sister

By Val Nicholson

Sisters building bridges

I

acknowledge that I am writing these words on the Ancestral Traditional unceded Territories of the Coast Salish. I have heard that many women have been affected by the closing of Positive Women’s Network. It is with a sad heart that we suffer the loss of services with their closing. The loss will leave a huge gap in the lives of many women.

Sisters! We are not going to let this affect our health and social space. We can do something about this! As I look around the office here at Positive Living BC, I see strong spirited women, allies and positive women giving of themselves, offering space in their lives to mentor and help others. Sisters working with compassion and strength, reminds me of a quote by one of ViVA’s founders, who has gone on before us, “HIV builds bridges between people.”

Let me tell you a story about an organization called ViVA Women. ViVA is a community of women living in BC that saw a need for women to have a safe place to talk freely about anything related to HIV/AIDS. Founded 10 years ago, these sisters started a listserv to communicate, support and speak about the real and current issues in their lives such as stigma, discrimination, disclosure, sexuality, relationships, health care, medications and side effects, criminalization of HIV, pregnancy, parenting, and children. Today the listserv boasts 77 women with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

ViVA women are HIV-positive sisters who believe in anti-oppression and equality, greater involvement of PLHIV and empowered lives for all WLHIV. A few years ago, ViVA started holding their Annual General Meetings at the Positive Gathering, with the generous use of space supplied by Positive Living BC. At one such meeting, then-Board

members John Bishop and Wayne Campbell attended our meeting and thus began Viva women becoming a part of Positive Living BC. We were welcomed with open arms and supported by the staff.

But my sisters, we need action. We need our voices to be heard and felt. We need a safe place, and we need to have resources and education for women. We need a room of our own. Positive Living BC Board and staff have heard the voices of positive women and we are working together for positive change for positive women.

Together we can build a women’s community in the new home of Positive Living BC, when we move back to our new building on Seymour St. There will be a safe space for all members who identify as women where we can hold meetings, events, and presentations. We can become an active, engaged, educational and supportive service by and for positive women in partnership with our allies.

What is your passion? Everyone has a talent, what is yours? Are you a writer, educator, speaker, grant writer, artist? Are you a great organizer or a good listener? Sisters, this is a call to action … let’s build this together. This story is only just started and we are asking you to be a part of this new adventure. If you are not a member sign up, let’s get the word out and have our sisters sign up as members of Positive Living BC. For information contact valerien@ positivelivingbc.org or email vivawomen@gmail.com. 5

i A wom n

Val Nicholson is a Peer Navigator at Positive Living BC.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 12 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

M

an, I remember Feb 12th, 2009 like

it was my own nightmare Groundhog Day. I was living in Windsor, Ontario, working for a wind, water, and fire restoration company.

The weather was nasty that day, but I put my big boy pants on and got to it. My daily routine was Timmies, a smoke, and rocking out to the radio.

I pulled into the worksite parking lot, shovelled snow away from the entrance, and slipped through the gate. I had taken some burnt lumber out and was about to have a coffee when my phone rang.

Voice: Is this Chad Clarke?

Me: Yes. Voice: This is Officer [name withheld] from the Sarnia Police. We’ve been looking for you.

Me: What’s this regarding?

Voice: Do you know [name withheld ]?

Me: Yes. Voice: There’s a Canada-wide warrant for your arrest.

Me: Why? Voice: Aggravated Sexual Assault for HIV non-disclosure.

Me: I will turn myself in for this, this isn’t right!

Voice: When?

Me: First let me go say goodbye to my family!

P5SITIVE LIVING | 13 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

continued next page

My world came to a standstill. Everyone asked, “What’s going on, Chad?” “I have to leave now,” was all that I could say. I lit a smoke and screamed “WHY!?” I just sat there for five minutes, frozen. What now? I started the drive home, smoke number five in hand, when I noticed the two unmarked SUVs following me.

Again my phone rang. “Mr. Clarke, what’s your plan?

Don’t make us come for you.” I said, “Tell your boys to back off from following me. I will come in, but first I’m saying goodbye to my family.” Then I called my girlfriend.

I tried to speak, but as hard as I tried, nothing came out.

Finally I was able to say, “Our worst nightmare is here.”

Then I tossed the phone out the window.

I drove for 45 minutes with a trillion things running through my head: my two kids, parents, girlfriend. I could feel my speed increasing. One thought I had was to head right into a bridge. No, how about cross the border? When at last I saw my girlfriend, I put every ounce of strength I had into that hug. We looked one another in the eyes and she said, “You need to fight this, Chad.”



They’are going to poke you full of holes, homie. 

As I approached the South Simcoe Police Station, everything became a fog. I took a big breath, said my name to an officer, and was promptly handcuffed and placed under arrest. I was seated in a holding cell, to wait to call a lawyer. I made the call and got in touch with HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). An O.P.P officer escorted me into a cruiser and we headed for a bail hearing.

I sat alone in a cell, away from people, waiting to enter the court room. A bailiff lead me into the court room. Another inmate faced the judge on a drug charge and was denied bail. Instead of returning him to the cells, he remained in the penalty box, sort of off to the side. I stood, and the judge addressed me, saying every last detail of my charge—All within earshot of the other inmate. I too am denied bail. We head back to the holding cells and are separated. He goes into the General Population cell and must have spilled the beans about my affairs. The cat calls begin raining down on me.

The ride to Penetang jail (Central North Correctional Ctr. in Penetanguishene, Ontario) was brutal. I heard threats and calls from the loudmouths. I went through the booking process: photo, finger prints, strip search, and the pumpkin suit. I saw a Corrections Officer who told me that it was in my best interest to go into protective custody (PC). Then I saw a nurse where I explained my status and that I’m on Atripla.

I took the walk of shame and become one of the protected—a rapist, as the courts now made me identify myself—something I hadn’t expected. After all, they had stated that I would be going home today. The word entrapment was now running through my brain. Once you’re denied bail, you must wait 90 days before you can reach high court bail. This means 90 days in PC. We had arrived back at the jail around 6 p.m., and here it was nearly 9:30 p.m. and I was still sitting in the holding cell, without a clue as to what was next. The guard had called out “Clarke” at least five times before I realized he was addressing me. That name I was born with was now taken from me. My identity was Clarke, Inmate 100496186. But all I could think about was what had been uttered towards me by another inmate: “They’re going to poke you full of holes, homie!”

As the guards escorted me to my new living quarters, I thought, “When will I see the light of day again?” Walking into the shower, I saw a familiar looking inmate. It was Porkchop—a guy I had known from the road. He was my reminder of days past. He had dated my daughter’s mother years before she and I were together. Porkchop and I made eye contact again.

The voices rang down from the dark cells, “That’s the guy.” Porkchop walked out of the shower, turned towards the hecklers and said, “This is my boy from the road. He’s in on a bad charge, and is going to be here for a while. So if anyone has an issue with that, I’m going to war alongside of him.”

For the next three months, it was like time itself had stopped, with each day just carrying over. Despite numerous attempts to see the unit doctor, I still hadn’t seen him.

Days became weeks, and the only thing I could think to do was to tell the outside world. I had a contact at a clinic and made a call. The person who answered was stunned when I said I still hadn’t received my meds. I was afraid I would get sick and end up in the hospital, or catch hepatitis C. The clinic rep said she would call the jail and speak to the Head of Nursing. Days passed, and then one night I at last got the meds my body craved.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 14 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

When I reintroduced the medicine into my body, the vivid dreams returned like the first time I took an antiretroviral. I was wide awake because a dream I had caused me to piss myself. I waited for the guard to make his/her rounds so I could ask for new clothes. When the guard came around, I was told, “Clarke, you’re shit out of luck.”

While waiting to get to high court for my next bail hearing, a Public Health Department official came to see me about other people that may have been exposed to HIV. I explained to her this was not a crisis, nor did I sleep with tons of people. I was charged by an ex-girlfriend. I told her everything about this relationship and how this nightmare had all unfolded. (All past girlfriends tested negative except for the one charging me).



When I reintroduced the medicine into my body, the vivid dreams returned like the first time I took an anti-retroviral. 

The day had come for my second bail hearing. My mom and other family members were there. Seeing my mom and the hurt in her eyes, it took every ounce of strength not to breakdown right there in the prisoner’s box. Then, for some reason, I was called to the stand.

My lawyer wanted to know why I was testifying at a bail hearing. He later told me that in his 10-plus years as a defense lawyer and former Crown himself, he said “I think we’re in Hazard County”.

My mom and my uncle each took the stand. The Crown asked my Uncle if he could handle being my guardian if I was granted bail. (He was 68-years old then.) He and the Crown got into a heated exchange and the Justice of the Peace had to step in. I turned to my family and mouthed the words, “I’m not coming home now.”

It was back to Penetang, where I was met by my lawyer. He said that we needed to “run the Circuit”—that meant waiting until we had the right judge before the pre-trial proceedings started. It also meant doing dead time. (Dead time was what you did before you were sentenced or denied bail. Some Judges would grant two days for every one day served in pre-custody.)

Over the next 13 months I studied Canadian Law, Aboriginal Studies, Philosophy, and Business. I got lost in

novels. I took Bible studies. I tutored inmates who wanted to get their high school diploma. And every Thursday it was rise and shine at 5:30 a.m. and into the paddy wagon to attend court.

I asked my lawyer what I was facing. “Chad, they’re asking for a sentence of 10–15 years.” I felt as if I had been punched straight in the gut. “I’m not going to come home,” I thought. “Maybe in a body bag, but not the same person who first entered this judicial system.”

I hit the 13-month period of dead time, and we couldn’t continue to put the court dates off any longer. I asked the lawyer again, “How much time will I get now?”

“The best I can do is four years, minus your dead time, if you take this plea deal,” he said. That meant pleading guilty. All I could see were my kids’ faces, and I just wanted to be there for them again. “Okay, let’s do this,” I said, “At least keep me from going into a Federal Prison.”

The judge granted me two-for-one; my dead time counted for 26 months of time served. The shitty part was that I was sentenced to a four-year sentence minus the dead time and would still have a 16-month sentence to serve in provincial jail. My name would also be added to the National Sex Register, I got a lifetime weapons ban, and I couldn’t travel longer than seven days without notifying the police. But at least I had a concrete date as to when I would be free again: June 3 rd, 2011. I was into my 26 th month of actual time and I still hadn’t gotten any blood work done; at one point I caught a bacterial infection that nearly killed me.

June 3 rd arrived. As I walked out of the gates, I made a point not to look back and just walked away from that nightmare and into the arms of my waiting son.

The whole experience had ignited a flame inside me to inform people about what happens to a person when they are faced with an HIV non-disclosure charge. I decided that I would be a voice for all who couldn’t share theirs. But most importantly, I am Chad Clarke, an HIV Non-Disclosure Warrior, a son, father, and grandfather— not some number. 5 Chad Clarke is an advocate, activist and a warrior of HIV Non-Disclosure.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 15 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

Summer spoils for the soil

By Lorenzo Cryer

S

ummer gardening is a holistic and nurturing experience.

Tending plants has many health benefits. Working amongst fragrant plants like rosemary, lavender, and lemon balm helps the brain with memory. I, for one, most certainly benefit. Now, where did I leave my pruners?

I adore hybrid Pelargoniums. They are often marketed as geraniums, but should not be confused with plants of the genus Geranium, from the same plant family. The genus Pelargonium is native to areas of South Africa, with some species coming from Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Pelargoniums are mostly soft wooded shrubs, but there are those that are herbaceous, or even grow as annuals.

The leaves of Pelargoniums are often as broad as they are long and are variously toothed, scalloped, lobed or dissected depending on the species. The leaves are aromatic, containing a range of essential oils. Flowers of the wild species have the two upper petals marked or coloured differently to the bottom three petals. This is the distinguishing mark that separates them from the true Geranium. The seeds resemble thistle down, another key feature to aid in identification.

The most common geraniums are the Zonal pelargoniums.

Their leaves are almost circular with scalloped margins, many with horseshoe-shaped patterns in red, brown, or purple, and they flower for the better part of the growing season.

Ivy-leafed pelargoniums have a semi-scrambling habit and a fleshier leaf with more pointed lobes. Some new cultivars exhibit— as a result of extensive breeding—traits of the zonal geranium.

Regal pelargoniums are a major group, and are often called the Martha Washington geraniums. They have woody stems and sharply toothed and creased leaves. The flowers are large and come in a range of almost-neon colours.

The scented-leafed pelargonium is shrubby with deeply lobed or dissected leaves. The leaves give off a vast array of odours when bruised or crushed. Offering up a display of gorgeous flowers, this pelargonium is often grown commercially for geranium oil.

Frost-tender, these plants are often treated as annuals. In warmer climates with longer daylight hours, they can flower continuously. Pelargoniums dislike extreme heat and humidity.

They do well in containers or in the ground. A sunny position in light, well drained, neutral soil is where they do best. If they are part of your container garden, fertilize and deadhead the spent flowers. Do not overwater. Zonals, in particular, rot at the base if the soil remains wet. Propagate from softwood cuttings during the growing period.

With extra daylight, indoor plants will be in active growth.

Support this growth with regular feedings of a water-soluble plant food. Feeding during active growth ensures good stem and leaf development. Make sure to read the directions. It’s always best to be cautious: reduce the amount of food if you are unsure. Remove unwanted stems and branches to keep the plant in the shape you want. If your indoor pots are movable, place them in the bathtub and give them a good misting.

Check out www.digdugdone.com for inspiration about different plant combinations. 5 Lorenzo Cryer owns and operates Dig Dug Done, a garden design consultancy in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 16 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

JohnHenry What Surrounds You? At The Playground SOLO EXHIBITION July 28 – August 23 Opening Reception July 28 5:00 – 9:00pm 434 Columbia St. Vancouver, BC

With my first solo exhibit and throughout my work I draw from the beauty and tranquility found in nature, and the city surrounding us in this stunning region of British Columbia. In a world full of chaos, cultural and political strife, and daily stresses in our busy lives, I strive to create moments of reflection, peace and calm. My influences range from renaissance and impressionist paintings through to modernist and digital media, at times both reflected and finding a place in my work. The interconnectedness of woven colours, the cross-hatched brush strokes, pixilated tonal fields, sometimes referencing technology, may expose hidden elements unseen at first glance.

10% of all art sales will be donated to the Positive Living BC Dental Emergency Fund Contact John Gieser: T 604-551-7477 / j.gieser@shaw.ca / www.johnhenryportfolio.blogspot.com

By Tom McAulay

LETTER TO A VIRUS

In

this, the second installment of Back Talk, I once again dig through my own archived files for an interesting item on the historic fight against HIV/AIDS. These old items shed new light on just how far we have come in thirty years. With so much negativity in the news, I hope this column provides a glimmer of hope for some of you reading this today.

The selection I have chosen for this issue speaks for itself. It comes from the pen of “Captain Midnight” and was published in BCPWA News Issue #89 in April/May 1996. Protease inhibitors had finally come to market and made combination therapy possible.

Up until this moment in history, some people were surviving with or without being on treatment, but were never sure of when their

Dear Virus,

day would come. This letter to HIV defines the strength and courage people living through this pandemic exhibited in countless ways—I humbly bow down with respect to all of them. I had the pleasure of working with Billy as a fellow BCPWA board member at the time he wrote this letter. 5 Tom McAulay is vice chair of Positive Living BC and a member of the History Alive Committee.

I came to a turning point in my life last week while I was on a workshop retreat on Salt Spring Island. For the first time in twelve years, I’m not afraid of you anymore.

Instead of fearing you, I’m learning from you. How’s that for a turn around? I educate youth, represent and advocate for other (PLHIV), counsel people, and do numerous fundraisers and

You came into my life uninvited and, like an irritating relative, you insist on staying. You began by sapping all my willpower as I try to fight you. You fight for my undivided attention at all times and try to rob me of my own life. You have stolen most of my friends from me and threaten to take any new friends I make. You trick me into getting angry and afraid so that I’ll fight you, and you in turn weaken my immune system. Then, like the opportunistic little bug that you are, you take advantage of my weakened state and attack me some more. You are like an ex-lover who is obsessed with stalking me, making me hurt more than you. Well step back, because it ain’t gonna work.

You can be a real bother at times, but mostly you’re a nuisance. I won’t relent to you and just give you the upper hand. You’re going to really have to work for it. I think by now you realize that you can’t compete with me, so if you want to play your little games with my mind, understand this—I don’t play games. Everything is very real and serious when it comes down to my survival. You can’t survive in me unless I’m alive, so you need me. I’m not responsible for you and I won’t let you take away my responsibility for myself. I am Billy—you’re just a bug.

This is my body and you are just sharing part of it. I make the rules. Hey, if you don’t like that idea, you’re more than welcome to leave. I eat well; sleep well; exercise and play.

workshops. In other words, my life is more full now than before you came along.

Until next time, take care everybody. Don’t let the bug get you down.

Billy Lennox.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 18 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

Giving Well

Grant Minish, the Vancouver-based Regional Manager of LGBTQ Business Development for TD

TD

Bank is not just a well-regarded financial institution it is a global force. Part of what has made TD the brand it has become is local engagement. Positive Living BC has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with TD for a number of years, with more (we hope) to come down the road.

As a corporate leader, Toronto-based TD has written a model playbook for giving and community sponsorship. Positive Living is just one of over 4,000 organizations through Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom that has come to rely on the beneficent mood of TD. A mood reflected to the tune of $62.9 M in charitable giving in 2015.

Diversity is one of the focal points for TD, with a minimum of ten percent of their sponsorship dollars going to charities and non-profit groups that foster inclusion.

(They also have an enviable track record of promoting environmental causes, something that should endear TD to the average British Columbian.) To that end, TD has been a long time sponsor of Pride events here in Vancouver, and all across the country to a total of 34 national Pride events in total last year.

Another key issue that is being addressed is that of housing. Their Housing For Everyone program helps “non-profits that are leading the way in protecting and enhancing affordable housing units,” according to the TD website. Since 2006, TD has put over $20 US million into programs that seek to redress the housing issue in communities like Vancouver. I asked Grant Minish, the Vancouver-based Regional Manager of LGBTQ Business Development for TD, about the company’s commitment to and involvement in charitable work.

Q: Why did TD choose to sponsor Positive Living BC?

TD is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community whether it’s a celebration or an organization that’s important to our customers and employees. We recognize the importance of sustainable and dependable funding for the community, especially for events and causes that bring the community together. TD supports P5SITIVE LIVING | 20 | MARCH •• APRIL 2017

A DONOR PROFILE

By Jason Motz

more than 100 LGBTQ+ organizations and initiatives across North America through funding, partnerships, and employee volunteerism. TD has been a proud sponsor of Positive Living BC since 2014 and recently committed a further $20,000 over the next two years.

Q: How has this partnership benefited TD?

At TD, we believe our commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and to diversity is not only the right thing to do, but it’s critical to achieving our mission to be a leading company. Our success depends on reflecting the communities where we do business and where our employees and customers live, work and play. We are proud to support Positive Living BC because we know the work they do helps to support people in our community.

Q: Why is diversity important to TD?

TD is committed to building an inclusive environment where every employee and customer is valued, respected and supported. Diversity is not a one-time project or initiative. It is part of who we are and everything we do. 5 Jason Motz is the managing editor of Positive Living magazine.

AIDS and assumptions Where we’re going wrong

A

re we winning the battle to end AIDS? The fault, dear colleagues, lies not in our models but in our assumptions. UNAIDS estimates suggest that from 2010-2015, the number of new yearly infections has remained constant worldwide. The world is spending about US$20 Bn a year to manage and control HIV/AIDS so that the total expenditure between 2010-2015 must have been in the region of US$100 Bn. The virology and immunology of HIV are now well understood.

Anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) have made HIV a manageable condition, transmission modes are well understood, and a range of effective prevention methods is available. Even some of the poorest and worst affected countries have rolled-out ARV on a large scale while the costs of triple therapy in developing countries has fallen from tens of thousands of dollars per year to a few hundred dollars with very little drug resistance or side effects. If we are to end AIDS by 2030, defined as having less than one new case and one death per thousand adults per year, we need to be confident in our estimates of current trends as well as future projections in HIV prevalence and incidence, AIDS-related mortality, and ARV coverage.

A number of mathematical models have been developed to fit the available trend data, mainly in prevalence and ARV coverage, and then used to estimate current trends in HIV incidence and mortality as well as to make future projections in all of these aspects of the epidemiology of HIV. A recent study, by the present author and colleagues, published in the Lancet Public Health, fitted a dynamical model to UNAIDS data on HIV prevalence and ARV coverage in South Africa, which accounts for about 15 percent of all PLHIV. The authors found that as ARV coverage has risen, HIV incidence and AIDS-related mortality have both decreased. Under the new policy of treatment for all, adopted by South Africa in September 2016, it is very probable that South Africa

By Brian G. Williams

will be able to end AIDS by 2030. The expansion of treatment will avert an additional 3.8 million new infections, save 1.1 million lives, and save $3.2 billion and ensure that South Africa ends AIDS by 2030.

Yet, other studies have reached different conclusions. Walensky and others suggest that under the most ambitious treatment scenario there will be six times as many new infections and twelve times as many deaths at double the costs suggested in the Lancet Public Health paper. Johnson and others suggest that incidence could fall 0.3 percent per year by 2030.

There are differences in these estimates with some studies showing an ongoing rise in new infections, some that there will be an ongoing decline in new infections, and others that it will be possible to end AIDS by 2030. It is vital that these differences be resolved.

The model structures vary from those that are simple, with a small number of ‘compartments,’ to very detailed microsimulation or individual-based models. The differences in the projections seem to arise not from differences in the model structure but from differences in the assumptions that are made as to two key parameters: the projected proportion of people on ARV and the proportion of these that are virally suppressed.

We need better data on the proportion of those that are now on ARV and the proportion of these that are virally suppressed, paying attention to the definition of ‘virally suppressed.’ Agreement on the target values of these parameters under the new policy of treating those newly diagnosed is vital. Then, perhaps, consensus may be reached on the prospects of ending AIDS by 2030. 5 Dr. Brian G. Williams works for the South Africa Centre for epidemiological Modelling and Analysis of Stellenbosch.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 22 | MARCH •• APRIL 2017

The I-Score Study (CTN 283)

D

By Sean Sinden

espite knowing about the importance of treatment adherence, it is common for people to struggle with taking their HIV medication consistently. For antiretroviral therapy (ARV) to achieve its intended effects—viral load suppression, immune system restoration, etc.—it must be taken diligently and consistently for a lifetime.

The factors that can affect ARV adherence include concerns about side effects, scheduling issues, beliefs about the medication, substance use, financial strain, and sociocultural dynamics. Because of the individuality and diversity of these factors, adherence support needs to be tailored to a person’s particular needs. To determine this, and to improve the quality of clinical care, the I-Score Study (CTN 283) is developing and testing a tool to help clinicians understand adherence-related factors from their patients’ point of view. The authors also completed a review of existing tools, confirming that none were adequate for the task.

Investigators built the I-Score study around the concept of “minimal interference” meaning that a person’s treatment selection should be based on things like tolerability and simplicity rather than virologic efficacy alone. With this in mind, this study will collect data from PLHIV with a short, computer-based questionnaire about what factors they perceive make adherence difficult. This tool, constructed with input from clinicians and PLHIV, will allow clinical teams to assess how well a specific ARV regimen is adapted to their patients, to detect problems with a regimen before it can be detected by clinical testing, and to ensure the long-term effectiveness of a treatment by customizing adherence support for individuals.

This study is taking place in 10 sites across Canada, France, and the French Antilles, including a site at the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre. For the initial phase of CTN 283, about 30 participants will participate in short interviews about barriers to adherence. Once this information is incorporated into a framework based on a synthesis of related studies, items will be generated for the tool. It will then be piloted with 100 participants and later field-tested with 200 participants. The finalized tool

will then be tested in a clinical setting. For more information about this study, visit www.hivnet.ubc.ca/clinical-trials/ctn283/ or contact the VIDC at info@vidc.ca or 604.642.6429. 5 Sean Sinden is the Communications and Knowledge Translation Officer for the CTN.

Other Studies enrolling in BC 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, and more

CTN 286

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

CTN 292A

Development of a screening algorithm for predicting high-grade anal dysplasia in HIV+ MSM BC sites: TBD. Visit the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network database at www.hivnet.ubc.ca for more info.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 23 | MARCH •• APRIL 2017

In grateful recognition of the generosity of Positive Living BC supporters Gifts received January – February 2017

$5000+ LEGACY CIRCLE Peter Chung

$1000 - $2499 CHAMPIONS

Gina Best Don Evans Paul Goyan Fraser Norrie Alin Senecal-Harkin Harvey Strydhorst

$500 - $999 LEADERS

Cheryl Basarab Emet G. Davis Christian M. Denarie Carmine Digiovanni Scott Elliott James Goodman Silvia Guillemi Cliff Hall Ross Harvey Leslie Rae Blair Smith Dean Thullner David C. Veljacic Urban Impact Recycling Ltd.

$150 - $499 HEROES

Wayne Avery Lorne Berkovitz

John Bishop Elizabeth Briemberg Harold Brown Susan 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 Wilson Durward Patricia Dyck Dena R. Ellery Don Evans Stephen French Judith Garay Ricardo Hamdan Jean Sebastian Hartell Ron J. Hogan Pam Johnson Tiko Kerr Pierre Langevin William Langlois Colin Macdonald Tony Marchigiano Kenton R. McBurney Mike McKimm Kate McMeiken

Mark Mees Walter Meyer Zu Epren Stanley Moore Laura H. Morris James Ong Dennis Parkinson Penny Parry Bonnie Pearson Sergio Pereira Darrin D. Pope Allan Quinn Katherine M. Richmond Robert Selley Johanna Simmons Keith A. Stead Tim Stevenson Ronald G. Stipp Tom Szeto Jane Talbot Triphonia Teta Ross Thompson Stephanie Tofield Glyn A. Townson Ralph E. Trumpour Craig Wilson Brian A. Yuen

Barry DeVito Jamie Dolinko Tobias Donaldson Tracey Hearst Heather Inglis Chris Kean Miranda Leffler Sharon Lou-Hing Salvatore Martorana Angela McGie Lindsay Mearns Gwenneth Olson Lisa Raichle Andrea Reimer Allan Senneker Adrian Smith Zoran Stjepanovic Adrienne Wong John Yano

$20 - $149

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

FRIENDS

Bernard Anderson Jeff Anderson Lisa Bradbury Sandra Bruneau Chris Clark

P5SITIVE LIVING | 24 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

PROFILE OF A VOLUNTEER Lloyd is incredible. He’s always cheerful and ready to lend a hand. I always hear great things from our Members when Lloyd is working at the Lounge or in the iCafe.

Brandon Laviolette, Treatment, Health, & Wellness Coordinator.

*Lloyd Turner*

What is your volunteer history in general? What volunteer jobs have you done with Positive Living BC? I have volunteered for bingo and casino fundraising. As a Positive Living volunteer, in reception, the iCafe, Lounge and some time with the POP Program.

When did you start with Positive Living BC? March of 2016.

Why did you pick Positive Living BC? Quite by accident. I was at the AIDS Vancouver food bank when I saw you had services here.

What is Positive Living BC ‘s strongest point?

All of the staff, volunteers, and members.

What is your favourite memory of your time as a volunteer at Positive Living BC? Lots of Lounge pastries—people call me the “cookie monster” for a good reason.

What do you see in the future at and /or for Positive Living BC? More funding, different types of services, advocacy is still a big need.

How would you rate Positive Living BC? 100 percent.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 25 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

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

bANKORS (WEST)

cAIDS SOCIETY OF KAMLOOPS

bDR. PETER CENTRE

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

bAIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND (Campbell River)  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  gary@ankors.bc.ca  ankors.bc.ca

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

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

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

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

bLIVING POSITIVE

bRED ROAD HIV/AIDS NETWORK

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

bOKANAGAN ABORIGINAL 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 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

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”.

June 7, 2017

Reports to be presented >> Written Executive Director Report | Standing Committees | Complete Board Evaluation Chart (2) | Director of Communications | External Committee Reports | Events Attended

June 21, 2017

Board & Volunteer Development_ Marc Seguin  marcs@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2298

Reports to be presented >> Executive Committee | Quarterly Department Reports - 4th Quarter/Year End | Director of Programs & Services | Events Attended

Education & Communications_ Adam Reibin  adamr@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2209

July 5, 2017

History Alive!_ Adam Reibin  adamr@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2298

Reports to be presented >> Written Executive Director Report | Executive Committee | Director of Fund Development | External Committee Reports | Events Attended

July 19, 2017

Reports to be presented >> Standing Committees | Membership Statistics | Financial Statements - April - Audited Financials | Events Attended

Positive Action Committee_ Ross Harvey  rossh@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2252 Positive Living Magazine_Jason Motz  jasonm@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2206 ViVA (women living with HIV)_Charlene Anderson  charlenea@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2217

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)

m BC ASOs & Healthcare providers by donation: Minimum $6 per annual subscription. Please send ____ subscription(s) m Please send Positive Living BC Membership form (membership includes free subscription) m Enclosed is my donation of $______ for Positive Living * Annual subscription includes 6 issues.

Cheque payable to Positive Living BC.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 27 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

Last Blast On surveys and survivors

By Paul Goyan

S

ex Now 15 has got me thinking about the intergenerational divide since the survey was conducted by the “Investigaytors,” a group of geeky (and sometimes campy) nerds. So, instead of the usual chatter about intergenerational sex, why not talk about intergenerational communication instead?

This issue came up in a recent Queerty article, which reported that, “[actor] Alan Cumming says some younger gay men don’t care about the AIDS epidemic.”

The five “gay generations” discussed in Sex Now 15 are defined by an age cohort’s relationship to the AIDS epidemic. Many members of Generation Gay Legal and Gay Pride were lost to the epidemic, “which brought about the eventual devastation of the cohort.” As teenagers, Generation Safe Sex “witnessed overwhelming numbers of gay men visibly ill and dying.” Things are more positive for the final two cohorts (Generation ART and Gay Marriage) with the introduction of antiretroviral therapy and the growing acceptance that “Undetectable = Untransmittable.” The Investigaytors lament the tremendous loss of gay/bi lives, although there is a tendency to view those who have died as “lost” survey respondents, which strikes me as an example of hypothetical fallacy.

So why does Sex Now 15 seem so apathetic to survivors? When it comes to the survey, PLHIV/AIDS are largely ignored. How can we make sense of this apparent contradiction? After all, 80 percent of PLHIV/AIDS in BC are over the age of 40. Perhaps it is time to talk about relations between younger and older gay generations.

Given that life course theory informs the definition of “gay generations,” one might expect that all generations be treated equally. So my inner troll took umbrage with this quote from Sex Now 15’s conclusion: “Few would fail to acknowledge that Millennials seem to be more preternaturally different than generations before them.” Am I missing something, does this suggest a little ‘younger is better’ braggadocio? I recall a favourite quote from Edmund White, novelist and co-founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis about Baby Boomers from the Stonewall era: “I thought thatnever had a group been placed on such a rapid cycle, oppressed in the

50s, freed in the 60s, exalted in the 70s and wiped out in the 80s.”

We need to pay attention to gay history, but also to connect the epidemic’s long-term survivors with more recent gay generations. In Grief, Andrew Holleran’s novel about post-AIDS America, the narrator has the following exchange with the elderly mother of a good friend who has died of AIDS: “How do you make amends when the person you wronged is dead?”

“I suppose by doing something good to those who are still alive. I think often of a line from Sophocles—we have all eternity to please the dead, but only a little while to love the living.”

To bridge the generational gap, maybe we should focus on enhancing communication between younger and older gay generations, while also making certain to include PLHIV/AIDS. The Investigaytors might enjoy meeting with the History Alive project or stopping by for coffee with some of our members. To steal a line from the late Joan Rivers: Can we talk? 5 Paul Goyan is a contributing writer to Positive Living magazine.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 28 | MAY •• JUNE 2017

THRIVE MUSIC FEST

SATURDAY

SEP 16 | 1 PM

MALKIN BOWL WALK OPENING 11 AM

#tiedtogether to end HIV/AIDS stigma and #thrivetogether

AIDSWALKVan

aidswalktothrive.ca a partnership project of