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

ISSN 1712-8536

SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2016 VOLUME 18 • NUMBER 5

Play to Come

A cautionary tale about PNP

The Vollies

Retreat Reflections

Generational Privilege

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î?š Become knowledgeable about meds and when to start them î?š Develop strategies for living healthy with HIV and preventing the onset of advanced HIV

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FIGHTING WORDS

Minister Stillwell replied to our letter

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COVER STORY HIV and chemsex: what you need to know

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LET’S GET CLINICAL Getting to the crux of food security

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NUTRITION Eating competency: easy to do, good for the soul

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RETHINKING SEX & HIV

Exploring the generation gap in today’s gay community

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THE POSITIVE GARDENER GIVING WELL Gardening tips for the Vancouver climate

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POZ CONTRIBUTIONS Recognizing Positive Living BC supporters

Colin McKenna in the spotlight

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VOLUNTEER PROFILE Commemorating this year’s Vollie award winners

 positivelivingbc.org

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COME ALIVE Volunteers’ voices from History Alive

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STRUTTING FOR AN INCLUSIVE WORLD

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

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LAST BLAST Long-time Healing Retreat attendee looks back

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 | SEP •• NOV 2016

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

POSITIVE LIVING EDITORIAL BOARD Val Nicholson – chair, Florence Dube, Ross Harvey, Joel Nim Cho Leung, Elgin Lim, Jason Motz, Adam Reibin, Neil Self MANAGING EDITOR Jason Motz

DESIGN / PRODUCTION Britt Permien FACTCHECKING Sue Cooper

COPYEDITING Maylon Gardner, Erin Parker, Lynn Slobobian PROOFING Ashra Kolhatkar

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lorenzo Cryer, Richard Harrison, Kathy Ho, Kevin Moroso, Val Nicholson, Taylor Perry, Marc Seguin, Neil Self, Sean Sinden, Zoran Stjepanovic PHOTOGRAPHY Britt Permien

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND EDUCATION Adam Reibin DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Elgin Lim TREATMENT, HEALTH AND WELLNESS COORDINATOR Brandon Laviolette SUBSCRIPTIONS / DISTRIBUTION Leah Giesbrecht, John Kozachenko Funding for Positive Living is provided by the BC Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch and by subscription and donations.

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

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

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

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

© 2016 Positive Living

from the chair

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like to write about the fun things our community can look forward to. There’s no lack of fun this season.

The Scotiabank AIDS WALK to tHrIVe is set for September 25.

This reboot of our classic event showcases Positive Living BC’s stated vision of a future wherein “people living with HIV are healthy and free to lead purposeful and actively engaged lives in an accepting, inclusive community.” We are working to ensure PHLIV can thrive. Celebrate how far we’ve come and all that we have to look forward to.

The route starts at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown and ends up at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, where we’ll be rocking a music festival, a health fair, and food and drinks too. This is reflective of the vibrancy of our community. I am thankful to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation for working with us to make tHrIVe a flagship event for our City and PHLIV everywhere. Thanks to all of our partners for helping us realize this dream.

Onstage will be award-winning talent including Andrew Allen, Alita Dupray, Queer as Funk, and others.

Food and drink will be available onsite, along with a health-focused exhibitors market. Enjoy an onsite health fair with practitioners offering massage, reflexology, and naturo-

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VALERIE NICHOLSON

pathic treatments. Tickets to the festival are free to those who fundraise $150 and up, or can be purchased for $30.

Learn more at www.aidswalktothrive. ca or follow the hashtag #THRIVEYVR. Everyone in the Lower Mainland can also look forward to Dine! Drink!

Dance! Dazzle! Donate! again this year. Through this initiative, many community businesses are finding ways to contribute and give back—by feeding and entertaining you! Some are holding official Scotiabank WALK to tHrIVe events with proceeds going to the Society, some are participating in “Red Ribbon Dining” by donating a portion of food sales to the WALK, and some retailers are selling this year’s red ribbon pins and key chains with all proceeds going to the WALK. You can keep track of which restaurants, retailers, and businesses are participating at the online coordinates printed above.

While I will be at tHrIVe, I won’t be around the Society much for the next few months. On the advice of my doctor, I am taking the time to improve my physical health. I am leaving things in the capable hands of Vice Chair, Neil Self, and the rest of your Board members. Thank you for your continued support of Positive Living BC. I look forward to working with you again. 5

‘The AIDS epidemic is not over’

pDespite a decade of decline in the

global death rates attributed to AIDS, new HIV infections continue to grow, according to a new study published in The Lancet HIV. 2.5 million people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2015.

The rates of new HIV/AIDS infections have changed little in the past ten years despite global AIDS efforts and initiatives, including the UNAIDS 90–90–90 regimen.

Since 2005, new infections dropped by a mere 0.7 percent annually. In contrast, new infections decreased by 2.7 percent annually from 1997 – 2005. In total, there are approximately 39 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) as of 2015.

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015) cautions that, if this trend continues, the goal of wiping out the epidemic by 2020 could be seriously hampered. “Our new findings present a worrying picture of slow progress,” said Dr. Haidong Wang, the lead author of GBD 2015.

The purpose of GBD 2015 was to review incidence, prevalence, ARV coverage, and mortality for 195 countries, thus making GBD 2015 the greatest study of its sort to date. Peter Piot, the founding executive director of UNAIDS, preaches a skeptical outlook for the years ahead: “(GBD 2015) shows that the AIDS epidemic is not over by any means . . . The continuing high rate of . . . new HIV infections represents a collective failure, which must be addressed through intensified prevention efforts and continued investment in HIV vaccine research.”

Other findings of note in the GBD 2015 report: 1.8 million new infections alone were reported in sub-Saharan Africa; Russia experienced the highest increase of new infections anywhere in Europe (57,340); and incidence rates in Belize, Guyana, and Haiti exceeded 50 per 100,000 people.

Sources: http://www.thelancet. com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(16)30087-X/abstract; http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/ifhm-ron071816.php

Destroying HIV’s last refuge

pUK scientists may have found a way to

destroy HIV’s last refuge. A study by Oxford University has confirmed that under laboratory conditions a treatment can remove the virus from its chosen hiding place, offering hope of a viable treatment.

Professor Lucy Dorrell and her team at the University of Oxford worked with Immunocore Ltd—a UK biotechnology company—to investigate the power of newly engineered immune-mobilizing T-cell receptors-based drugs (“ImmTAVs”), designed to clear HIV-infected cells.

Completely curing HIV is difficult. HIV targets CD4+ T-cells, part of the immune system. If untreated, active HIV destroys these cells, leading to AIDS. But the virus can also enter some of the cells and remain dormant, a so-called latent infection. If the dormant HIV is reactivated, the process of active infection begins again.

While antiretroviral therapy (ARV) stops the virus from spreading, it cannot P5SITIVE LIVING | 3 | SEP •• NOV 2016

eliminate the cells that harbour dormant HIV, known as “HIV reservoirs.” People can be treated successfully and become apparently free from the disease, but HIV bounces back if treatment is stopped and can keep reseeding the reservoirs.

The final stage in defeating HIV is therefore to locate and destroy the lurking virus. If we can do that successfully, we may be able to cure HIV infections entirely.

ImmTAVs are two-headed proteins that can help the immune system kill HIV-infected cells. One end consists of a genetically engineered T-cell receptor that is fine-tuned to detect HIV proteins in an infected cell, even when present at very low levels. The other end is an antibody that binds to CD3, which is present on the CD8+ T-cells that kill virus-infected cells.

The ImmTAV can therefore recruit a large number of CD8+ T-cells and re-direct them to purge the HIV-infected cells.

Professor Dorrell said: “We used cells from HIV patients who had had successful ARV. When we added ImmTAV we saw that their CD8+ T-cells killed the latently infected CD4+ T-cells more efficiently than the patients’ natural immune responses.

Furthermore, if we took CD8+ T-cells from healthy donors and added these alongside the ImmTAV, we saw an even stronger response (up to 85 percent of the infected cells were removed). This may be because, despite long-term ARV, there is some degree of generalized malfunction in CD8+ T-cells that has not been fully repaired. A test using only the donated CD8+ cells had no effect, confirming the essential role of the ImmTAV.”

Currently, researchers working on eradication of HIV are developing “kick and kill” methods, where dormant HIV is reactivated and then a drug or vaccine is added in to eliminate the cells containing reactivated HIV. Having confirmed that ImmTAVs could be effective, the team combined them with the kick and kill approach in the lab. Professor Dorrell said: “We used latency-reversing agents, which wake up the HIV. Once we confirmed that the HIV was active again, we added ImmTAV. In four out of five cases, the process of re-infection was stopped completely.”

So, are we close to a complete cure for HIV? “There is still work to do,” Professor Dorrell said. “This research was carried out in the lab, but an effective cure has to take place in the patient. We need to prove that the effects we have seen can be replicated in people. ImmTAVs are likely to be one part of an HIV eradication strategy, rather than a complete cure. That strategy could comprise existing antiretrovirals, ImmTAV, and agents that address the weaknesses in HIV patients’ CD8+ T-cells. However, these positive results are cause for optimism.”

Sources: ehttp://www.ox.ac.uk/ news/2016-07-13-uk-treatment-targets-hiv’s-last-hiding-plac; http://www. eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/ uoo-tth071316.php

Defective HIV DNA may encode HIV-related proteins

pInvestigators from the National

Institutes of Health (NIH) have discov-

ered that cells from HIV-positive people whose virus is suppressed with treatment have defective HIV DNA that can be transcribed into a template for producing HIV-related proteins. This finding may affect scientists’ understanding of the long-term effects of HIV infection and what a cure would require.

When HIV infects a cell, it inserts its genetic instructions into the cell’s DNA. Effective treatment with anti-HIV drugs does not eliminate this HIV DNA (called “proviral DNA” or a “provirus”), so in theory it could give rise to new viruses during treatment. However, scientists previously have found that 95 percent or more of HIV proviruses cannot encode intact viruses due to genetic mutations and deletions. As a result, researchers have thought of these defective HIV proviruses as biological dead ends.

This thinking may change thanks to the new finding by scientists in the Laboratory of Immunoregulation at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH. Dr. Hiromi Imamichi and colleagues created multiple copies of nearly full-length proviral DNA and cell-associated HIV RNA. The scientists showed that HIV RNAs complementary to defective proviruses could be found in cells of two out of four people in whom treatment had suppressed the virus to undetectable levels for more than eight years. This evidence showed that the defective provirus had been transcribed from DNA into an RNA molecule. The researchers then proved that these RNAs could encode new HIV-related proteins.

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So, while unable to encode a virus, the defective proviral DNA could encode an intact protein.

This finding could help explain the persistent immune activation observed in PLHIV who have undetectable levels of virus, say the study’s authors. The discovery also suggests another potential barrier to an HIV cure. More research is needed, however, to find out the impact of HIV RNA transcripts from defective proviruses, the authors add.

Source: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/ news/newsreleases/2016/Pages/Defective-HIV-proviruses.aspx

CORRECTION:

In R. Paul Kerston’s ‘Living Abroad with HIV: Dispatches from Argentina’ feature in the July-August 2016 issue, the following error occurred on page 16: The timeframe for blood draws is incorrectly stated as 7am-8 pm, when in fact, the timeline is much shorter: 7:00 am – 8:00 am. The editor apologizes for having made this error.

By Neil Self

The Minister circles the buses

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inister of Social Development and Social Innovation, Michelle Stilwell, has responded to our letter to the Premier (‘On the Buses with Premier Clark,’ May/June 2016). Here is a portion of the Minister’s response, edited for

our column. “(I applaud) the Positive Living Society of BC for its advocacy on behalf of all people with disabilities (PWD). (Let me) assure you that the BC Bus Pass program remains in place.

People on disability assistance can still access the program and the application process will remain unchanged.”

PL: The program may remain in place, but the cost to PWD will rise from $45 annually to $624 annually. The BC Government has backtracked and removed the $45 annual administration charge for the bus pass program. We believe the Government removed the wrong fee: keep the annual administration charge and remove the new monthly user fee. “(As of) September 1, 2016, all (PWD) clients … will receive a monthly rate increase as follows: Clients who don’t receive a discounted annual bus pass or Special Transportation Subsidy, will receive a $77 monthly rate increase; Clients who choose to receive a discounted annual bus pass will receive a rate increase of $25 per month; Clients who currently receive the Special Transportation Subsidy (STS) worth $66 per month, will receive an STS payment of $329 in April to cover the April to August 2016 time period. (In) September, they will automatically receive a monthly rate increase of $77, which includes the STS and an additional $11 a month rate increase.”

PL: While we applaud the government for increasing the earnings exemption, what about PWD that cannot work? We are in effect creating a two-tiered disability, when all people on disability met the same difficult threshold to actually qualify for benefits.

“While Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped

(AISH) has higher disability payments, BC supports more clients per capita. This is in part because AISH disability programs require permanent or enduring disability, whereas BC stipulates a severe mental or physical impairment (for) at least two years. Alberta also requires that the condition substantially limits a person’s ability to earn a livelihood; BC’s disability assistance program does not refer to employability, only that the condition directly impacts a person’s ability to perform daily living activities.”

PL: Disability is a disability. While the Alberta government has chosen to include criteria that involve employability, BC has chosen Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) as the criteria. If one has trouble with ADLs, it stands to reason that one will also have issues with employability.

“BC is still the only province to have annual earnings exemptions for PWD, meaning an individual can earn $9,600 per year without impacting their income assistance rate. This allows people whose ability to work may fluctuate throughout the year to earn money when they can.”

PL: The Government should consider a monthly top-up to disability (to bring it up to the cost of living of ~$1500) that would be applied only to those who do not have the opportunity to work each month. 5

Neil Self is Chair of the Positive Action Committee and the Society’s Vice Chair.

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Are you a competent eater?

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By Kathy Ho ating competency is an idea that sees eating in a way that goes beyond just meeting your nutritional needs.

While most people know which foods are nutritionally beneficial, poor diet continues to be the largest cause of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and diabetes in Canada. Making healthy choices isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, and may even lead some to feel guilty about their food choices.

Yet, trendy diets and restrictive or disordered eating are becoming more common. So whatever we’re doing, it’s not working.

So, what is a competent eater? Let’s break it down.

Have a positive attitude about food and eating: This means being comfortable, flexible, and relaxed about eating food.

Having a positive eating attitude means also being aware of inner food experiences (hunger, appetite, excitement, taste, flavour,

satisfaction) and outer food experiences (what food is available, eating with people, supports or pressures on eating attitudes and behaviours) and being able to respond to them appropriately.

Accept all types of foods: Being comfortable with preferred foods (foods that you like, or foods high in sugar, salt, fat), and being comfortable with trying new, unfamiliar foods. Diets based on positive food acceptance (you are able to enjoy all different types of foods without feeling guilty) increase the likelihood of being nutritionally adequate. The conventional approach of labeling foods as good/bad or healthy/unhealthy does not support a positive relationship with food.

Regulate how much you eat: Being able to identify your hunger and fullness cues will determine how much you need to eat. This can be a challenge, so use a hunger scale for help. If you are generally active, your body can regulate energy and balance in a way that supports a stable body weight. Genes determine our body type and can affect our weight, reminding us that there is health at any size. Restrained eating (“I really shouldn’t have that cookie”) isn’t an effective way of regulating food intake or body weight, and is so common in our culture that it’s seen as normal.

These practices often lead to overeating and gain weight.

Plan ahead. Taking the time to enjoy your meals is important.

Have a regular eating pattern at predictable intervals and structure that works for you and your routine. When we skip meals, we don’t allow ourselves to internally regulate, which can lead to overeating.

Also, eating with others or having a family-style meal on a regular basis often leads to the consumption of a wider variety of nutrients.

Being a competent eater is a good thing: These eaters show they have a lower caloric intake, better blood sugar control, and better blood cholesterol levels. They are also more self-aware, and more self-accepting in all ways, not just with food.

Being a competent eater can be a process: Learn to be self-trusting with food. Eat consistently. Feel good about eating. By taking a relaxed approach to choosing your foods, you may include a variety of nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables every day because you want to, not because you have to. 5 Kathy Ho is the dietitian at St. Paul’s Hospital’s 10C Urban Health & HIV/AIDS unit.

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Old men take a look at yourselves

By Kevin Moroso

T

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Positive Living magazine.

hose darn kids these days—they misbehave, lack proper values, disrespect their elders, and take everything for granted. Sounds like a cliché grandpa. Unfortunately, I hear it all too often and it’s from older gay men. Now, I’ll preface everything I’m about to write by emphasizing that I hear this from only some older gay men and definitely not all of them. I’ll also add that I don’t even know if I’m considered young or old; I’m 35-years old and have been in the gay community for 20 years, so I’m not exactly young, but I’m certainly not old.

What set this off was a series of things I saw on social media.

To begin with, someone posted an article about a study that found only 20 percent of gay men in the Vancouver area were aware of PrEP. Cue the righteous indignation towards younger gay men: “They also probably don’t know about syphilis, gonorrhoea, or Chlamydia neither” and “denial is a defense mechanism.” They conveniently ignored that the study was conducted between February 2012 and February 2014 which means the study began before the Food and Drug Administration approved PrEP in the USA, that the study concluded prior to its recommendation by the World Health Organization, and its backing by other organizations (such as The Positive Living Society of BC, the Health Initiative

for Men and Health Canada), or before any public awareness campaign had even been conducted in Vancouver. Do they judge younger gay men for lacking the power of clairvoyance?

Then a day later, I saw a meme going around. On the top it said “what gay pride used to mean” and had a picture from the 70s of a gay Pride march carrying political slogans; on the bottom there was a picture of two young, half-naked twinks grinding at a more recent Pride parade with the words “what gay pride is like today” captioning it. It insinuated that our gay elders took pride as a serious political protest while young people today just want to get naked and they don’t care about politics. Well, talk about selective memory — I was easily able to find just as many sexually debauched photos from Pride parades in the 1970s and 80s with scantily — or leather-clad men grinding each other in much the same way.

And then came the clincher: A friend shared a post of mine about the Positive Living study that found gay men have trouble talking to their friends about STIs or dating a man living with HIV, with my conclusion that we need to be more supportive and less judgmental towards others in our community so that we can share these questions with one another. A commenter remarked, “is there a gay community anymore besides personal sexual gratification?”

I shut him down pretty quickly by listing the myriad local queer organizations and clubs—what turned out to be a rather long list.

(A meagre sidebar would not do justice so you will just have to do

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your own Google search.) This is a serious problem both because of this widespread attitude and because of the effects it is having.

A little while ago, I wrote a piece for another Vancouver outlet on how to be a “good daddy” (obviously referring to a sexual relationship between an older and a younger guy). In it I wrote: “Yes you’re a mentor. But you also don’t know everything. Your boy has had experiences himself that you haven’t and you need to understand and accept that. You won’t always be right and you’ve got stuff to learn from him as well. He’s from a different generation and brings a perspective to things that you don’t have.

So be open-minded and be willing to learn from him. Don’t be an arrogant daddy who thinks he knows everything.”

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Being condescending towards younger gay guys ends the conversation and prevents relationships between generations.

Being condescending towards younger gay guys ends the conversation and prevents relationships, sexual or otherwise, between generations. It prevents intergenerational learning and leads us to live in silos, making both younger and older gay guys less wise and more narrow-minded. However, I’m much more concerned about its effects on our community institutions.

A plethora of non-profits exist to serve the needs of gay men (and sometimes more than just LGBT folk in general), including those living with HIV. These range from sport, to health, to culture.

If younger people don’t feel like their voices are both listened to and valued by these organizations, they won’t get involved in them.

Institutions that denigrate younger gay guys will ossify, contract, and fade out of existence. They will no longer be sustainable.

Platitudes are insufficient. If a young person comes in and has one bad experience with a single staff member or a more senior volunteer, that young person may think that that is a reflection of the entire organization. All the good will or words that the organization says will be made irrelevant. The organization has to create a culture that values the voices of younger guys—and a change in culture is not an easy accomplishment. It requires sustained pressure from the most senior levels of an organization.

The senior leadership of organizations must lead by example.

Too often, organizations that serve the gay community have very little turnover in terms of senior staff and board members. This results in a leadership team that looks similar as it did 10 or 20 years ago. If there’s not a single person under 40 in the leadership of an organization, it will be difficult to change the organizational

culture or have younger people believe that the organization listens to them.

People have to practice what they preach all of the time, not just when they’re giving speeches. Imagine a senior leader saying that the organization values ethnic diversity when giving a speech at an organizational event, but then denigrates a racial group on their personal social media. Now imagine the gay community—a small close-knit community—where a leader says one thing at work but another in their personal life. That would send a negative message about the true nature of the leader and perhaps the organization as a whole.

I can’t keep from thinking of Peter Staley, HIV/AIDS activist and founder of Treatment Action Group (TAG), who surrounds himself with younger activists and whose messages continue to be pertinent to younger gay men and HIV activists. I then think of an activist, who shall remain nameless, from that same time period who seems to love to throw into his speeches denigrating comments about young people today. Whose voice do you think is relevant and will be listened to?

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Don`t be an arrogant daddy who thinks he knows everything.

I encourage non-profits that serve the gay community, whether it is just the gay community or as a part of their wider mission, to examine themselves closely. If they have a lot volunteers but only a small proportion are younger, there may be a problem. Look around the board room and if everyone there is over 40, are you truly representing the community? Organizations that look like that are not sustainable in the long run—government grants can dry up fast if an organization becomes irrelevant.

And one last thing: This is not about Positive Living. I actually don’t know enough about the organization to comment on its culture when it comes to younger people. However, I do hope it takes time to reflect on this too. 5 Kevin Moroso has his BA in Art History and Critical Studies in Sexuality, and his MBA from the University of British Columbia.

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By Taylor Perry

enise Wozniak is a Positive Living Society of BC member, motivational speaker, and advocate for people living with HIV (PLHIV). She is also a long-term survivor having been diagnosed HIV-positive 25 years ago. The following are excerpts from her History Alive project interview conducted in 2014.

On the medical emergency of her daughter: “ Katy started getting sick, got pneumonia, and was rushed down to (the hospital). She almost died of pneumonia. She was in the intensive care unit (ICU), and they started looking at what type of pneumonia it was, bacterial or viral; and they started asking ... pretty private questions about my past ... Two days later, (I was informed) ‘Katy has AIDS.’” On her diagnosis: “(My doctors) said Katy would probably die within two years and (that) I would probably die within five years.

Katy actually died three months later. … Nobody knew [Katy had AIDS]. My mom didn’t know, my dad didn’t know. We just told everybody that Katy had a very poor immune system because of the fact that she was born early, and she was never really going to get better because of the pneumonia.”

On Katy’s death: “She was nearly in a coma and her breathing had become stronger and more regular … then she just stopped breathing and that was it. She died in the stroller she was in.”

On her suicidal thoughts: “If I died, it would be suicide that took me because here I was, HIV-positive, my partner was miserable because Katy had died, he knew I had it, and I really felt like I should just set him free and go be with Katy.”

On deciding to advocate for women with HIV: “I was one of the few women who didn’t have children, (so I felt) it was the right thing

By Leah Giesbrecht to do. I looked at Ryan White and he was speaking out, and I thought, ‘He is so brave for a little kid—why shouldn’t I be speaking out?’”

On founding The Hummingbird Kids Society for children with HIV: “We needed to talk about children. A lot of kids were taking medication and didn’t know why because their parents didn’t want to tell them [that they were HIV-positive] until they were about 11.

Because when the kids were in school, some would be taken out of school. Parents were scared that their kids would go and tell their friends [that they were HIV-positive], and then they would have no friends to play with … Children were not being noticed.”

On dating: “I have never had a problem getting a date (because of) HIV. I always explain … what HIV is, the steps that have been done to improve it, how you can wear a condom, that type of thing.”

On motivational speaking: “I was the kind of person who could not get up in front of three people and speak, let alone a whole bunch of people and speak, but then I was thrust into it through having to speak about children. I decided I had to get over that fear.”

On the key message that she attempts to convey: “One of the things I say to [the audience] is something I believe Jim Roan said.

He said, you live every single day, but you only die once. So, you have to live every day for today. So now, I am even starting to think about the future. That is really weird for me.” 5 Taylor Perry is a volunteer with Positive Living Society of BC’s History Alive project.

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The chaos and chemistry of chemsex

By Neil Self

In

2015, a controversial documentary called Chemsex from Vice United Kingdom made the rounds at film festivals and community events, primarily within the gay men’s community.

But it also received plenty of mainstream media attention and discussion. The documentary, which recently screened here as part of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, is an unflinching, raw, and dark exposé on the use of party drugs within the

gay men’s sex scene in Britain. While the use of party drugs is not new to the gay community, the publicity caused by this documentary opened the door to public opinion. Much of that opinion was critical and focused on public health and the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This article explores the complex issue from a sex-positive and local British Columbian perspective. continued next page

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Chemsex refers to the combination of street or party drug use with sexual hook ups. This is also known as Party and Play (PNP) or partying, being buzzed, or, plainly, chem-friendly. The drugs used are primarily stimulants—cocaine, crystal methamphetamine (Meth), mephedrone, or Ecstasy—with or without the use of other depressive drugs, such as alcohol, ketamine, or GHB, along with the less common use of marijuana and poppers. The stimulant’s effect is generally two-fold: it energizes the user to stay awake and perform over long periods of time (even days on end), and it increases the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Dopamine produces reward or pleasure in the brain and is normally created during everyday activities, from eating chocolate to sexual activity.



The relationship between HIV and drug use—especially party drugs—is another complicated and multifaceted relationship.”

Chemsex users report the most intense, pleasurable, and long-lasting sexual experiences. Immediate challenges include overstimulation of genitalia to the point of injury, chafing, and soreness and the loss of inhibitions, including a disregard for safer sexual practices or medical adherence. Users may experience moodiness, anxiety, paranoia, and possible hallucinations with extended use. Long-term use can lead to permanent cognitive impairment in mood and memory.

The gay community has a long and complicated relationship with drug use, both legal and illegal. One could say that the gay rights movement, like many social movements from the ’60s and ’70s, was born out of the counter-culture movement that included the experimentation, use, and abuse of new and emerging drugs, i.e., marijuana, LSD, and acid. Combine this with the fact that much of the early gay community revolved around alcohol establishments (The Stonewall Inn, for example), and you have a community that, at least through the first 30 years of its formation was synonymous with drug culture. While alcohol might represent the tip of the drug culture iceberg, any gay man familiar with the bar scene knows that bars and clubs are awash with party drugs, as illustrated by the club and rave drug culture of the ’90s and early ’00s.

When you take a community built on and around drug culture and then add marginalization, oppression, and discrimination to the mix, it is easy to see why the LGBT community has up to a 30 percent higher rate of drug and alcohol use and abuse than the

hetero community. These minority stressors sometimes combine with a lack of familial supports to further intensify the challenges within the community. Then, to top it all off, we have a community that is based on our sexual differences, resulting in a sexualized identity (or hyper-sexualized in many cases), especially within the gay male community. A sexualized identity in itself may not be harmful and, in fact, can be quite liberating. However, when you combine a sexualized identity with minority stressors, and a community aligned with a drug culture, one begins to realize the complexity of drug use, and the potential for abuse, in the gay men’s community. HIV/ AIDS adds another layer of complication to the mix.

The relationship between HIV and drug use—especially party drugs—is another complicated and multifaceted relationship. The consensus within the gay male community is that drug use and abuse and HIV is a two-way street: more HIV-positive people are using recreational drugs to cope with HIV and other life stressors, and more gay men are exposing themselves to HIV when using drugs, especially party drugs. For many gay men, HIV was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The further marginalization, stigma, and discrimination with HIV that came from within their own community was just too much to handle—never mind the fact that many, especially early on, were given a death sentence.



Users may experience anxiety, paranoia, or hallucinations with extended use.

Or even permanent cognitive impairment.

I have lost count of how many friends and acquaintances within the HIV community have chased their demons down the party drug “rabbit hole.” A friend, colleague, and former director of the Vancouver Addictions Matrix Program (VAMP) confided that while he oversaw VAMP (which at the time was exclusively for gay men with a crystal meth addiction), anywhere from 30 – 80 percent of the participants in the individual treatment cohorts self-identified as HIV-positive. While a majority of those were previously infected with HIV, a significant minority reported crystal meth use as a factor in their seroconversion.

In recent years, another alarming trend has appeared: HIV-positive people who were personal and professional stalwarts in the early fight against HIV are succumbing to the lure of chemsex at an alarming rate. Biological and chemical challenges

P5SITIVE LIVING | 14 | SEP •• NOV 2016

exist for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and using stimulants like crystal meth. Stimulants speed up the production of HIV in the system. As well, crystal meth itself has a potentially dangerous interaction with two antiretroviral therapies (ARVs): ritonavir and cobicistat. These ARVs are used primarily as booster drugs for other ARVs, and they can have a similar result with stimulants, increasing their effect. Problems with ARV drug adherence also can occur among HIV-positive people using stimulants. As the stimulant use progresses, even the most dedicated ARV users have problems maintaining their ARV adherence, which can lead to additional health problems and possible ARV resistance.

Treatment for stimulant and party drug addiction, like any addiction, can be challenging and an ongoing battle. For gay

men who use party drugs, the most effective treatments are those adapted to the gay male community, whether abstinence based (like Narcotics Anonymous) or harm reduction based (like VAMP).

The use of party drugs can be a complicated issue with layers of oppression and stigma at its root. A one-size-fit-all approach to treatment cannot do the job for everyone; it requires a multifaceted biopsychosocial approach to treatment that is tailored to tackle these core issues. 5

Neil Self is Chair of the Positive Action Committee and the Society’s Vice Chair.

INTERVIEW EXCERPT

HELP AND RESOURCES

The following is an excerpt from an anonymous interview with middle aged (40-50) HIV-positive gay white male who self-reports of being a crystal methamphetamine addict and has not used for just under a year. The full interview will be published in our November issue. WARNING: SOME OF THE LANGUAGE AND DESCRIPTIONS IN THIS INTERVIEW ARE FRANK, GRAPHIC, AND COULD BE TRIGGERING FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY.

) Vancouver Coastal Health, Access Central

PL: Tell me a little about the background of your addiction.

How did you end up using crystal meth?

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

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

 Detox Referral Line 1.866.658.1221

) Vancouver Area Narcotics Anonymous  vascna.ca

) Vancouver Island Health, Mental Health & Substance Use  250.370.8175 or viha.ca/mhas

) Interior Health, Substance Use

 interiorhealth.ca/YourCare/MentalHealthSubstanceUse/ SubstanceUse

) Northern Health, Mental Health & Addictions Services

 northernhealth.ca/YourHealth/MentalHealthAddictions.aspx

HARM REDUCTION SITES ) Canadian Harm Reduction Network  canadianharmreduction.com

) Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver Addictions Matrix Program (VAMP)  604.714.3480 or vamp@vch.ca

) tweaker.org

A: I experienced two immediate reactions to crystal meth.

One was the stimulation or feeling of being awake—usually with no requirement to eat or sleep at all. I would do a hit of crystal (snort or smoke) and I would be awake and alert for hours.

The second was this intense level of arousal: it made me incredibly horny. These effects, combined with access to pornography and hook-up apps and websites along with 24-hour cruising locations and bathhouses fueled my addiction.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 15 | SEP •• NOV 2016

Rhododendrons and maples, oh my!

R

By Lorenzo Cryer

hododendrons are a popular and beautiful inclusion in most gardens.

In Vancouver, the growing conditions for most cultivars of this genus are perfect. With the exception of the Mollis Azalea, all Rhodos are evergreen. The Mollis Azalea has brilliant autumn colour and flowers are borne in early spring on bare branches. The vibrancy of the flowers is best described as fluorescent.

Rhodos vary in their climate preferences, but they share the same cultivation needs. Their roots lack the fine feeding hairs at the tips that are found on most other plants. Instead, the entire root ball is a mass of fine roots that serve the same function.

A compact root ball and no taproot make the Rhododendron ideal for growing in a container, and thus, easy to transplant.

Their fine root system can dry out quickly during long periods of dry weather, however. They can also rot if they are waterlogged. The fine roots find it hard to penetrate hard ground and dislike compacted soil.

Rhodos need loose, well-aerated, acidic soil with lots of humus to retain moisture. They thrive with regular mulching, as they are mainly surface rooted, allowing the roots to spread and develop. I notice the practice here in Vancouver has been to remove all leaf litter from garden beds. Usually taking the top layer of soil with it. My recommendation: leave the leaves.

Oak leaves are acidic, which Rhodos love.

In areas that can become waterlogged, growing Rhodos in a raised bed is the way to go. Most Rhodos are woodland plants and enjoy dappled shade. In general, Rhodos are easy care and like a light trim after flowering. Generally free from pest and diseases, they are prone to infestations by thrips, two spotted mites and spider mites. Powdery Mildew and rust may appear in humid areas.

The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is one of the most popular trees for home gardens. It is valued for its compact size, beautiful leaves, and stunning colour. It should reach a mature height of 12–15 feet; in containers, maybe half of that.

Although more tolerant of warmer climates than other maples, it needs shade and protection from the wind or its leaves may shrivel and brown. As the age, they are more sun tolerant.

There are over 300 cultivars that range from rock garden miniatures to vigorous small trees. There are a variety of shapes, sizes, and colourations. The cultivar ‘Atropurpureum’ is the most popular. Dense and spreading, with dark purple foliage giving way to paler olive-purple in summer and deep scarlet tones in autumn.

Dissectum Viridis is the original green cut leaf maple that will tolerate more direct sun than others. Dissectum refers to the leaf shape, where the leaves are divided almost to the base into narrow lobes. The lobes are cut into a filigree pattern. Their fine, drooping twigs grow down rather than up. This rootstock will never grow taller, but will fatten in time. Where possible, avoid a west exposure. It is the afternoon sun that can burn the leaves.

As autumn closes in, look at the spring bulb catalogues for inspiration and your spring bulbs should be in the ground by the end of October. 5 Lorenzo Cryer owns and operates Dig Dug Done, a garden design consultancy in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 16 | JUL •• AUG 2016

Giving Well Q. Who are you walking with this year for the Scotiabank AIDS WALK to THRIVE? I’ll be there alongside my colleagues from PFLAG here in Vancouver (Parents, Families & Friends of LGBTQ+). We’re thrilled to help support the WALK every year.

Q. How do you approach fundraising for the WALK?’

I set a goal of $1,000 for myself for the WALK. I find other friends that are also fundraising for the WALK and say, ‘Hey, join my team,’ because it will add up to a larger total, and it’s better to get them all into one group. I rely heavily on social media: I contact over 1,000 people asking them to donate. They know that’s my annual thing.

Q. How long have you been participating in the WALK?

P

ositive Living magazine is grateful to our donors, whose financial support helps sustain our programs and services, including this very publication.

But who are these mysterious donors?

What made them become donors? And why did they choose us? In this column, we put these questions to one of our beloved and well-respected donors to find out a bit more about the people who makes our work possible.

A DONOR PROFILE

By Zoran Stjepanovic

rhetoric of the ’80s, he didn’t realize that being gay didn’t automatically mean that one would also become HIV-positive.

Being downtown at that time, I saw people who were visibly ill—people that were struggling day-to-day—and I thought, “I need to do something, these are people in my community. I need to help.” I’m working to keep [HIV/AIDS] in the public eye because I want people to understand that HIV/AIDS has not gone away—there isn’t a cure yet.

Q. What is the importance of the WALK in the community?

The WALK is important for both education and advocacy. I want people to be mindful of the fact that there are many peers within our own community who are affected, as well as those in the Downtown Eastside who are often ignored and forgotten.

The first year I walked was in 2000. I came out in 1998, met my current partner in 2000, and we did the WALK together for the first time that year.

Q. What is the bottom line message or comment you want people to hear?

Q. What made you first get involved with the WALK?

In 2016, Colin McKenna was the first to register the PFLAG team for the Scotiabank AIDS WALK to THRIVE. He is a wonderful supporter of ours and gives back to the community. Thank you, Colin! 5

Once I moved to the West End in 1999, I started to see the face of HIV. Prior to that, I knew about it and was afraid of it. After I came out my mother was very supportive, but my father struggled, largely due to fear and religious issues from when he was growing up. He just didn’t seem to understand that people could take protective measures. After much of the fear-filled P5SITIVE LIVING | 18 | SEP •• NOV 2016

Get involved and educate others. That’s as simple as I can put it.

Zoran Stjepanovic is Positive Living’s director of development.

The Community: Part 2

Strutting towards an inclusive world

By Lorenzo Cryer

In the second part of a three-part series, Lorenzo Cryer looks at the stride Vancouver’s gay community has made in terms of establishing itself as an inclusive, safe haven.

On

Saturday, June 11th, I was privileged to be with a part of STRUT, a major fundraiser for the Foundation of Hope. The Foundation of Hope raises money for, and awareness of the plight of, LGBTQ+ in countries where who you love is a crime, where being yourself is a crime.

As Canadians, we have the freedom to be who we are. On that Saturday, a proud mass gathered at Sunset Beach to strut for hope.

People of all lifestyles stood in the light rain, lending their voices to demand equality for those who have been silenced. Diversity and acceptance were on display as men, women, and children strutted a mile to drive home the message of an inclusive world.

Democracy is something a lot of us take for granted. If we don’t like something, we can speak up. We can protest. We can wave petitions around. We can demand change. Such are the luxuries of living in Canada. Many countries fail to honour the voice of the minority.

I spent most of my adult life in Australia. It surprises me that many people I meet don’t know Australia has yet to embrace marriage equality. After all, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras remains a protest march. Australia remains divided about marriage equality. It was one of my reasons for leaving. I packed up the house and, with partner at my side, put my life on a plane bound for Canada. He landed in Canada a permanent resident.

Our new life could begin.

I love being home. I look around me and see people holding hands. I see people who openly embrace their individuality.

That said, returning to your birth country after a long absence is challenging. You have no credit rating. No rental history. I have even felt like an immigrant in my own country.

I grew up in a Canada where being gay was taboo. Our clubs were often in the seedier parts of town. Clubs would be dark, nondescript buildings, with a solitary light hanging over a windowless door. You would nervously look around before grabbing the handle and disappearing inside. You were safe. Times have changed. We have Davie Village, where the nightclubs are at street level. The doors have windows. We are proud of who we are, and we can shout it from the rooftops.

We can stand up and say, hate is not okay. In light of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, the message is so urgent. Just because you are different, that does not give anyone the right to decide if your life is any less valid than any other person’s.

It is exhausting, always having to deflect criticism and hate.

“Why do you have to be like that?” “I don’t get it. What do you do?”

My personal favourite, from the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald: “Salvation Army spokesman says, all gays should be put to death.” I am routinely asked to validate myself. As a long-term survivor, I have witnessed the ugly side of people: The discrimination, the prejudice, and the hate. I will continue to speak out stand up, and shout loud, “equality for all.” 5 Lorenzo Cryer owns and operates Dig Dug Done, a garden design consultancy in Vancouver.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 20 | SEP •• NOV 2016

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

LAST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH

* Look

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

New West StrEAT Food Truckfest

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

Food security and HIV-HCV Study (CTN 264)

“

By Sean Sinden

It’s like living on the edge all the time. It’s like I don’t necessarily know where my next meal is coming from. In fact, at this moment, I don’t ... And talking to you about this food thing, I realize this has been going on for quite some time. And I keep thinking, ‘Am I ever going to get out of this?’” – quote from an HIV-positive interviewee, part of the Food Security and HIV-HCV Study (CTN 264).

Food insecurity describes a situation of limited or uncertain access to nutritious and safe food. About eight percent of Canadian adults can be categorized as food insecure. For PLHIV, food insecurity is more common.

“Studies in Canada have found that food insecurity among (PLHIV) exceeds 70 percent,” said Taylor McLinden, a PhD student working on CTN 264. The study was undertaken by Drs. Joseph Cox and Anne-Marie Hamelin of McGill University and is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and CTN. Food insecurity negatively affects a person’s health and well-being and may be a result of unstable housing, addictions, unemployment, and poor social support.

People living with HIV-hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection may experience the factors that contribute to food insecurity to a greater extent than those living with HIV alone. In Canada, roughly 20 percent of PLHIV may also be infected with HCV, about 10,000 people. Because people living with both HIV and HCV have specific health concerns, previous studies looking at food insecurity in the HIV context may not be generalizable to this population. This gap in our understanding initiated CTN 264 in 2012.

This study gathered information about food insecurity from a larger CTN cohort (CTN 222 – The Canadian Co-infection Cohort).

By collecting food insecurity information along with demographic, economic, and health data, researchers were able to identify possible risk factors for food insecurity.

“Among 525 participants, 59 percent experienced food insecurity,” McLinden said. “Risk factors for food insecurity included recent injection drug use and recent experiences of depressive

symptoms.” Identifying these factors can allow interventions to limit food insecurity in those with HIV-HCV to be further explored.

Inclusion of food support as a part of harm reduction programs and mental health services are two potential areas of future study. 5 Sean Sinden is the Communications and Knowledge Translation Officer for the CTN.

Studies enrolling in BC , a partial list 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 273

Brain Health Now! BC site: St. Paul’s

CTN 271

Gay Poz Sex (GPS) BC site: Positive Living BC

CTN 248

Incentives Stop AIDS and HIV in drug users BC sites: VIDUS/ACCESS Project, Vancouver | Cool Aid Community Clinic, Victoria To find out more about these & other CTN studies, visit the CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network at hivnet.ubc.ca or call 1.800.661.4664.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 23 | JUL •• AUG 2016

In grateful recognition of the generosity of Positive Living BC supporters Gifts received May – June 2016

$5000+ LEGACY CIRCLE Peter Chung

$2,500-$4,999 LEGACY CIRCLE

Docusystems Integrations Inc

$1000 - $2499 CHAMPIONS

Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Gina Best J. Bhandary Victor Elkins Paul Goyan MAC AIDS Fund Dean Nelson Fraser Norrie Harvey Strydhorst Bramwell Tovey Metropolitan Pharmacy Alin Senecal-Harkin

$500 - $999 LEADERS

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

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

$150 - $499 HEROES

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

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

$20 - $149 FRIENDS

Bernard Anderson Jeff Anderson Scott Blythe Lisa Bradbury

P5SITIVE LIVING | 24 | SEP •• NOV 2016

Sandra Bruneau Brent Carthen Lorne C. Christensen Chris G. Clark Alexandra Collins Barry DeVito Jamie Dolinko Tobias Donaldson Mark Haggerty Tracey L. Hearst Heather Inglis Chris Kean Miranda Leffler Sharon E. Lou-Hing Juanita Maginley Salvatore Martorana Lindsay Mearns Allan McBurney Jane McCall Angela McGie June O’Connor Aaron Purdie Lisa Raichle Andrea Reimer Wendy Stevens Adrienne Wong John Yano

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

A Royal Reception

The Vollies

JACK OF HEARTS AWARD A volunteer who is viewed as a caring individual in their day-today interactions with members, staff, and fellow volunteers.

WINNER: Paul W. JOKER AWARD An honoured position in the court.

This volunteer lightens the mood when things get too serious.

WINNER: Jason H. ACE OF SPADES AWARD This volunteer is someone you can count on to have your back. He is a real support when volunteering.

WINNER: Finn K. REGAL KNIGHT AWARD This person goes beyond when it comes to helping others.

WINNER: Kangsoon P. NOBLE DIPLOMAT AWARD This person is outstanding at networking and relationship building.

WINNER: John K. KING OF CLUBS AWARD This person is revered by peers as a leader and a role model for volunteer service and is an inspiration.

WINNER: Ricky S. QUEEN OF DIAMONDS AWARD This volunteer dresses with such style and panache that his royal appearance and apparel cannot go unnoticed.

WINNER: Cam A. Milestone award recipients for long-term volunteer service: 20 YEARS: Gordon W. 25 YEARS: May M. 30 YEARS: John K.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 25 | SEP •• NOV 2016

Where to find

HELP

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

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

bA LOVING SPOONFUL

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

bBAIDS 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

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

bBAIDS 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  nfo@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 | SEP •• NOV 2016

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

STANDING COMMITTEES & SUBCOMMITTEES

WEDNESDAYS 3 pm | BOARD ROOM

If you are a member of the Positive Living Society of BC, you can get involved and help make crucial decisions by joining a committee.

To become a voting member on a committee, please attend three consecutive meetings. Here is a list of some committees you might be interested in and their contact information. More committees are listed at www.positivelivingbc.org

September 21, 2016

Reports to be presented >> AGM Minutes | Standing Committee Reports | Financial Statements - July | Sponsorship Grid | Board Skills Chart

October 5, 2016

Board & Volunteer Development_ Alex Regier  alexr@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2292

October 19, 2016

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

Reports to be presented >> Executive Committee | Written Executive Director Report | Media Training | Director of Human Resources Reports to be presented >> Executive Committee | Financial Statements - August | Financial Training | Director of Programs & Services

November 2, 2016

Reports to be presented >> Standing Committees | Written Executive Director Report | Quarterly Membership Statistics | Director of Education & Communications 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)

Positive Action Committee_ Ross Harvey  rossh@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2252

Health & Wellness_ Elgin Lim  elginl@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2225 History Alive!_ Adam Reibin  adamr@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2298 Positive Living Magazine_Jason Motz  living@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2206 Support Services_ Jackie Haywood  jackieh@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2259 ViVA (women living with HIV)_Tina Douglas  alexr@positivelivingbc.org  604.893.2292

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 | SEP •• NOV 2016

Last Blast Remembrance of retreats past

T

By Richard Harrison he first time I went on a healing retreat it was held on Bowen Island in 1996. Some kind people had volunteered to take the lot of us over on their boat. I didn’t know anyone; what had I gotten myself into? Isolated and recently diagnosed, I had no idea what I was in for. I sat at the front of the boat thinking about escaping. Turns out, the retreat was where I learned I wasn’t alone. Others were surviving HIV just like me.

After an interview with Jackie Haywood, who was the Head of the Support Department, and still is to this day, I began volunteering on the Retreat Team. Jackie has been running this show for about 30 years. That’s a huge portion of one’s life to devote to PLHIV. I put forth the idea of having a Murder Mystery Retreat and undertook the task of writing the characters and clues that would be acted out as other activities were happening. The premise of the weekend was the Cocteau Awards for expressions of innuendo or something equally silly. Every participant was a character in the murder mystery. Sissy Spacechick is an oft-nominated actress who always finishes second who just got a bad perm from Percy Mercy, her rejected #2 beautician; she is also the spokesperson for Spork, a new meat product (or is it?). The evil Dr. Don’t wants to raise money for his “Do-It-Yourself-Cryogenics Home Kit.” Stylist to the Stars, Moose Puce, has made his own panty-line that keep showing up at the murder scenes. The plot is further complicated by a secret tontine—an agreement that the last surviving member of the pact would inherit a fortune in gold buried beneath the sea.

Lance Boil, Granny Dynamite, Red Herring, Precious Darling, and Tanya Hardhead also figured prominently in the drama. By the end of the retreat, someone was able to put all the pieces together and guess who the murderer was in this convoluted plot.

A year later, I recall going to some rustic campsite where we partook in a sweat lodge. Over the years, the retreats have done it all. The organizers have the retreat format pretty much figured out.

I was part of the team that went out to check out a new location: Loon Lake at Malcolm Knapp Research forest. The site was bucolic with no subdivisions nearby. Loon Lake remains the setting for Positive Living’s two annual retreats. Today the retreat experience

runs like a well-oiled machine with Jackie at the helm and a highly skilled team of volunteers and practitioners who do all the behind-the-scenes work that allows the magic to unfold. Loon Lake is a place where you can feel like you’re part of a community and maybe make a friend or two.

Hearing other peoples’ inspirational stories always moves me and has always been the highlight of the retreat experience for me. It takes courage to live with HIV. September 2 - 5, 2016 is the final Healing Retreat of the season. The bus will be pulling out of our East Hastings parking lot on that morning for Loon Lake. Why not try to be on it? Fill out an application. In my opinion it’s the best program we offer. You can download an application on-line at https://positivelivingbc.org/ services/healing-retreats. See you there. 5 Richard Harrison is the Support Services Manager for Positive Living.

P5SITIVE LIVING | 28 | SEP •• NOV 2016

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