In much of the world people go most of their lives without ever meeting someone who is openly HIV positive and therefore carry around a preconceived notion that the majority of those who are infected are gay men, intravenous drug users, sex workers, or promiscuous individuals living alternative lifestyles. In South Africa, and around the globe, these preconceived notions and cultural stereotypes are just not accurate.


Now that HIV is no longer something that people have to die with and is rather something that people can “live” with, I believe it is important for the world to see and come to understand that people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds are infected and living with HIV. Unfortunately, most of those people are now living with the disease and all of the stigmas and stereotypes that go along with it, making living with something that is already difficult, almost impossible. It keeps those who have it from acknowledging it, speaking out about it, and educating others. This causes secrets to be kept, keeps infection rates high, and makes the possibility of living normal lives inconceivable.


The cultural barriers for those living with HIV don’t have to be present forever, but they are never going to change if the world doesn’t get a clear picture of the actual population living with HIV. Stereotypes and preconceived notions are hard to change in an isolated area, let alone globally, but the best way to make the change is visually. People need to be able to relate to those living with HIV and the only way to do that, without personally getting to know someone, is to visually see that those infected are similar to yourself and are also professionals, students, mothers, babies, and children.


I currently live in Pretoria, South Africa where HIV/AIDS is very real for everyone. The Human Sciences Research Council, in South Africa, estimates that 10.9% of all South Africans have HIV/AIDS. Within the adult population the rate is estimated to be 18.5%. South Africa is thought to be the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the world. It is true that certain demographics of the South African population are affected more than others but the reality is that the effects are felt through all demographics in this country and globally.


It is here, with the help of many brave individuals, that I hope we can we can make a "positive" contribution to all of those who deserve to live open and healthy lives, free of stigmas and discrimination. This will be a platform for them to tell their stories and show the world that they are normal people, with normal lives, that live with unfortunate circumstances and don't deserve to be judged for it. Additionally it is my hope that these faces of hope will encourage people to get tested and, if positive, choose a life with treatment.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Anna - Living with HIV for 12 years

Anna has been living with the knowledge of her positive status for 12 years now.  Shortly after learning about her own illness, Anna watched her sister die of AIDS due to denial and a lack of knowledge about the disease.  Her sister left behind two daughters, aged 7 and 11, for Anna to raise.   

 

Anna works as a receptionist at a doctor's office and has been employed in this field for the past 14 years. For over a decade she has supported herself and her nieces with the oldest now in college.  



Anna volunteers much of her free time identifying individuals within her community's informal settlements who are ignoring and losing the battle to stay healthy with HIV.  As an advocate for the sick to seek care, she has influenced the lives of many to choose life with treatment rather than the path her sister chose.




Anna has not allowed her positive status to keep her from finding love.  Through one of the many on-line networks and support groups for those living with HIV, she found Mandla.

 

Anna and Mandla are engaged to be married and planning their wedding for the near future.  Anna is healthy and has never allowed her status to keep her from living a full and meaningful life.


"Being open about HIV has allowed me to be a positive example for so many and I can only hope more people will do the same."
Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 25, 2017 at 4:46 AM

    I have been HIV positive for 6 years and long for the day to be
    free of this disease. I would love to be part of any trial that
    helped find the cure, i have an undetectable viral load and CD4
    count of around 1100. I have tried almost everything but I
    couldn't find any solution on my disease, despite all these
    happening to me, i always spend a lot to buy a HIV drugs from
    hospital and taking some several medications but no relieve,
    until one day i was just browsing on the internet when i came
    across a great post of !Mechelle rose ! who truly said that she
    was been diagnose with HIV and was healed that very week
    through the help of this great powerful healing spell doctor ,I
    wonder why he is called the great Dr, adigba , i never knew it was
    all because of the great and perfect work that he has been doing
    that is causing all this. so I quickly contacted him, and he ask
    me some few questions and so i did all the things he asked me
    to do,He ask me to buy some herbs and which I did for my
    cure,only to see that at the very day which he said i will be
    healed, all the strength that has left me before rush back and i
    becomes very strong and healthy, this disease almost kills my
    life all because of me, so i went to hospital to give the final test
    to the disease and the doctor said i am HIV negative, i am very
    amazed and happy about the healing doctor adigba gave to me
    from the ancient part of Africa, you can email him now for your
    own healing too on his email: dr.adigbaspelltemple@gmail.com or whatsapp him@+2347064810223 thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marcelo Costa JuniorAugust 28, 2019 at 3:43 PM

    Hello, i am Marcelo Paes Costa Junior, and i am from Rio, in Brazil. Let me give this testimony to the public about a great herbal doctor who helped me out with my own illness. I had HIV/AIDS for over 5 years and I was almost going to the end of my life due to the way my skin looked like. All I have in my mind is to give up, because life is not interesting to me any longer. One night, my sister ran to me that she found a doctor in the internet who can cure HIV/AIDS, i was not even interested because i never believed. She help me out on everything the doctor asked for, filled the treatment form for me and even used her own money to get the medicine for me. During one week of using the medicine, I started getting more stronger, my blood started to flow normally 4 to 5 days later, I start gaining Weight, before the 3rd week, my body started developing, my skin started coming up. After a month, I went for HIV test and I was tested negative. I’m so happy that I can say I’m not an HIV/AID patient again. if you have HIV/AID or Hepatitis, or Herpes or HPV or coronary artery diseases or any sickness please contact Dr.O.Water. His email is: DRWATERHIVCURECENTRE@GMAIL.COM and His whatsapp number is : +2349050205019. I wish you good luck on this, God bless you all. i have a health group on twitter please follow me @Marcelocostapa2 and join my health group so that we can share information, create awareness and help others. You can also email me on marcelocostajunior1967@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)