Much as I welcome the existence of non-government organizations (NGOs) dedicated to raising HIV awareness and helping stem the increase in HIV cases in the country, I can't help but be disappointed how personal interests, even egos, get in the way of coming up with a united front on the issue.
I'm talking of the feud between two famous groups that are separately engaged in the HIV and Aids campaign. They'd come up with separate projects aimed at keeping the number of HIV cases in the country from reaching epidemic proportions.
From where I sit and after learning the respective sides of the 2 groups from people I know who are members of the two organizations, it is saddening to know that instead of working together so as to make their campaign more effective and wide-reaching, differences on how a project should be taken, personal issues, and pride are the obstacles to reaching that goal.
If only they'd realize that lives are at stake and they should unite to make sure that there are no more new cases of HIV infection and deaths due to HIV-related complications, then that would be such a welcome development.
Showing posts with label HIV and Aids awareness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HIV and Aids awareness. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Deaths
I don't mean to be morbid by choosing Deaths as the title of this post but it best describes what the topic precisely is.
In the months that I was "away" from the blogosphere, I've heard of the demise of young guys due to HIV-related ailments and complications. Two of those who passed away were dear friends.
One was more than 30 years old and a very good friend of mine. He and I belonged to a Facebook group. Before he passed away, I never knew he was HIV positive since he was full of life and ambition. Months before he died, he was in and out of the hospital because of ailments left and right. Then he expired. I was completely speechless and shocked when I learned that he died at such a young age and I had a suspicion that he was a PLHIV. My suspicion was confirmed by my friend's siblings, who revealed to me his status. They told me my friend simply gave up on living and became depressed. He stopped taking ARVs, which led to health complications. As a return gesture for revealing the status of my friend, I came out to them and we hugged each other. It was such an emotional moment. They would remind me every now and then to never give up like what their brother did. They instantly became my "sisters." We still keep in touch every now and then.
The second guy died at the age of 21. He was from the southern part of the metro. We encountered each other via Twitter as he had a poz account. We never got to meet but we'd often chat with each other via YM. Then a few months before he moved on, he was acting weird and complained of not feeling well. The next thing I knew, he passed away several hours after he was rushed to his treatment hub. I never knew the exact cause of his death but later learned from a common friend what he died of. I will not reveal here the ailment he died of to protect his privacy and his family. I was so saddened by his death and since I couldn't go to his wake, I had a Mass sponsored for the eternal repose of his soul.
Before my two friends died, I've been hearings of young guys dying left and right - presumably due to opportunistic infections. Just last week, I learned that a guy in his early 30s, a model and a regular fixture in the local gay scene, died in a hospital. I didn't know what he died of but I came across his Facebook profile. I've seen him already - I told myself.
It is really sad to learn of young guys who have died due to HIV-related illnesses - either because they learned of their status too late and medical intervention couldn't help reverse the effects of HIV infections or worse, they didn't know their status at all.
This is where it is really important to know one's HIV status as early as possible. Like I did. And I am lucky that I survived a bout of pneumonia before I learned of my status in 2010 and thankful that medical intervention is keeping the virus in me at bay. I am not rid of HIV but I have managed to "tame" it.
In the months that I was "away" from the blogosphere, I've heard of the demise of young guys due to HIV-related ailments and complications. Two of those who passed away were dear friends.
One was more than 30 years old and a very good friend of mine. He and I belonged to a Facebook group. Before he passed away, I never knew he was HIV positive since he was full of life and ambition. Months before he died, he was in and out of the hospital because of ailments left and right. Then he expired. I was completely speechless and shocked when I learned that he died at such a young age and I had a suspicion that he was a PLHIV. My suspicion was confirmed by my friend's siblings, who revealed to me his status. They told me my friend simply gave up on living and became depressed. He stopped taking ARVs, which led to health complications. As a return gesture for revealing the status of my friend, I came out to them and we hugged each other. It was such an emotional moment. They would remind me every now and then to never give up like what their brother did. They instantly became my "sisters." We still keep in touch every now and then.
The second guy died at the age of 21. He was from the southern part of the metro. We encountered each other via Twitter as he had a poz account. We never got to meet but we'd often chat with each other via YM. Then a few months before he moved on, he was acting weird and complained of not feeling well. The next thing I knew, he passed away several hours after he was rushed to his treatment hub. I never knew the exact cause of his death but later learned from a common friend what he died of. I will not reveal here the ailment he died of to protect his privacy and his family. I was so saddened by his death and since I couldn't go to his wake, I had a Mass sponsored for the eternal repose of his soul.
Before my two friends died, I've been hearings of young guys dying left and right - presumably due to opportunistic infections. Just last week, I learned that a guy in his early 30s, a model and a regular fixture in the local gay scene, died in a hospital. I didn't know what he died of but I came across his Facebook profile. I've seen him already - I told myself.
It is really sad to learn of young guys who have died due to HIV-related illnesses - either because they learned of their status too late and medical intervention couldn't help reverse the effects of HIV infections or worse, they didn't know their status at all.
This is where it is really important to know one's HIV status as early as possible. Like I did. And I am lucky that I survived a bout of pneumonia before I learned of my status in 2010 and thankful that medical intervention is keeping the virus in me at bay. I am not rid of HIV but I have managed to "tame" it.
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Pride March and my plan to 'come out'
Last Saturday's Gay Pride March held in Tomas Morato in Quezon City was a first for me. Participation-wise. In last year's march held in Malate, my partner and I were just in the sidelines as we both watched the parade start from Remedios Circle. We later walked along the parade route and sometime during the parade, we joined our friend who were part of the Out Philippines contingent.
When Bruce Amoroto of TeamPilipinas advertised about the parade this year and he was seeking volunteers to help carry the 40-meter rainbow flag, I immediately wrote to Bruce early last November and told him I want to be one of the flag bearers and so we met over at Starbucks in Shangri-La Mall, where Bruce interviewed me and briefed me on what will we do. Another meeting was set last November 27, a week before the march to discuss details of the activity.
Pride March came and went and it very tiring but still fun and liberating nonetheless. However, a side story to this is that 2 days before the march, I had planned to come out in public regarding my HIV status since this year's march had HIV and Aids awareness as a theme. I planned to ask the emcees of the program that would follow the march for permission to speak to everyone and then come out regarding my status to put a new face to the health problem and perhaps, the audience will learn a lesson or two from my experience that I was going to share. I also wanted to call the government's attention to the growing HIV and Aids problem in the country as the number of new cases has increased tremendously this year. I thought long and hard about what I was planning to do and weighed the pros and cons.
I consulted 2 close friends in the poz community, my partner, and my elder sister about what I was planning to do. I told them about the pros and cons. The cons however outnumbered the pros. I risk getting terminated from my job and getting kicked out of my boarding house if I came out in public despite the law (Republic Act 8504) protecting HIV-positive individuals in the country against discriminatory acts. I would also be putting myself, my family, and my partner at risk also to discrimination and stigma. Since my partner and I work in the same company, I might jeopardize my partner's continued employment in our company since they see us always together. We are not out as a couple in our place of work but I guess our fellow employees have a suspicion that we are partners.
Anyway, to cut the long story short and following the advice of my elder sister, I decided not to push through with my "coming out" last Saturday. It proved to be a wise decision because the march and the program held after the event were happy occasions and my coming out would have dampened the celebratory mood.
To quote my elder sister, she said it is best that I do not come out in public - for now. The right opportunity will come and I will just have to wait.
When Bruce Amoroto of TeamPilipinas advertised about the parade this year and he was seeking volunteers to help carry the 40-meter rainbow flag, I immediately wrote to Bruce early last November and told him I want to be one of the flag bearers and so we met over at Starbucks in Shangri-La Mall, where Bruce interviewed me and briefed me on what will we do. Another meeting was set last November 27, a week before the march to discuss details of the activity.
Pride March came and went and it very tiring but still fun and liberating nonetheless. However, a side story to this is that 2 days before the march, I had planned to come out in public regarding my HIV status since this year's march had HIV and Aids awareness as a theme. I planned to ask the emcees of the program that would follow the march for permission to speak to everyone and then come out regarding my status to put a new face to the health problem and perhaps, the audience will learn a lesson or two from my experience that I was going to share. I also wanted to call the government's attention to the growing HIV and Aids problem in the country as the number of new cases has increased tremendously this year. I thought long and hard about what I was planning to do and weighed the pros and cons.
I consulted 2 close friends in the poz community, my partner, and my elder sister about what I was planning to do. I told them about the pros and cons. The cons however outnumbered the pros. I risk getting terminated from my job and getting kicked out of my boarding house if I came out in public despite the law (Republic Act 8504) protecting HIV-positive individuals in the country against discriminatory acts. I would also be putting myself, my family, and my partner at risk also to discrimination and stigma. Since my partner and I work in the same company, I might jeopardize my partner's continued employment in our company since they see us always together. We are not out as a couple in our place of work but I guess our fellow employees have a suspicion that we are partners.
Anyway, to cut the long story short and following the advice of my elder sister, I decided not to push through with my "coming out" last Saturday. It proved to be a wise decision because the march and the program held after the event were happy occasions and my coming out would have dampened the celebratory mood.
To quote my elder sister, she said it is best that I do not come out in public - for now. The right opportunity will come and I will just have to wait.
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