A year ago, HIV Edmonton had a problem

By John Gee, HIV Edmonton Operations Coordinator

We had received word that the HOMES database was about to be shut down. We, along with many other social service agencies in Edmonton and throughout Canada, had been using HOMES to track outcome data. This is information used to answer questions such as:

• How many clients have we served this year?
• How much time did we spend with them?
• What difference did our efforts make in their lives?

Without HOMES, we would be unable to report to our funders with the information they require, and our continued existence could be in jeopardy.

I set out on a search for a new database. This was not an easy task. The measurement of outcomes in human services is still a new field. Until 10 or 15 years ago, funders were more interested in accounting for money spent than in the human effect of that spending. At the same time, information technology has been changing so quickly that people in all fields have been scrambling to keep up. There are few programs available that capture the right information and are also reliable and easy to use.

The program we finally settled on was ETO Software, produced by the American company Social Solutions. By the time we signed the contract it was November, and HOMES was due to go offline at the end of March. We were left with a very tight time frame for implementation. A generic database like ETO requires a considerable amount of custom programming and training to tailor it to a specific organization’s programs.

However, with the support of Social Solutions and the dedication of HIV Edmonton’s great staff, we got it done. We are now using ETO and getting better information that is already making a difference in our work.

Malcolm’s Story

Dear readers
I don’t know how to begin. I am not a white man or a black man or oriental man. I am a proud native man. I am not a typical native, I don’t have braids, and my hair is not up to my back. But I do like blondes like every other male does. You know what, when I see a native women walk by, my chest skips a bit. I just want to hug them and say to them you are beautiful, which they all are. I have respect for all native women that’s why when I meet them I tell them the truth that I am HIV positive. Some people say ‘why do I say that to them?” It is because it’s every person’s responsibility to let other people know. Sure I may not see them again but they don’t respect me for telling the truth. I will wait till I meet one that respects me for telling the truth. That one will have a heart of kindness. That is what every positive male wants, that is what I want. People with HIV should let people know that they are positive. I am not saying when you are at a bus stop or coffee shop you say to people ‘hey you know what, I am HIV positive’. That is not the right way. To me it is when you feel it is right, like say it’s your friend. A good friend will not say I don’t want anything to do with you no more. Well, that is definitely not a friend. A good friend will probably not know how to respond. She or he will look at you and say ‘I didn’t know you were gay’. And you will respond ‘It is not a gay disease, it is a human disease, and you know why I told you? You are my friend and friends are hard to come by. Because I trust you as a friend, you won’t judge me. I never judge you as my friend, so my friend I still love you’.

Volunteering with HIV Edmonton, a posting by Leah Read

I feel like I should have a ready response when people ask me why I volunteered with HIV Edmonton, but the truth is a little difficult to express.

When I volunteered with HIV Edmonton, I experienced things and met people I never would have otherwise. Whether it was skipping along dressed as a fairy at the Pride parade, or having the privilege of listening to the story of a positive speaker, my experiences with HIV Edmonton were fun, sometimes bizarre, but always worthwhile.

A quality I truly admire about HIV Edmonton is the organization’s commitment to empower through education. By refusing to shy away from touchy subjects, support workers and community educators are able to communicate openly and honestly about the source of the issues involved. It is inspiring to see an organization address the underlying issues of HIV realistically and work past the stigma and shame associated with the virus. Volunteering with HIV Edmonton required self-awareness and the desire to continue learning, and this was both encouraging and challenging.

Although I enjoyed many aspects of volunteering: the challenge of working reception, the encouragement to be creative in designing posters and educational materials, and the  satisfaction of seeing a successful speaker series as with the legacy events, none of these things alone are my reason for volunteering.

It is the experience of being a part of something much greater than me, contributing just a little to a successful event, and being one small piece of a larger puzzle that is the real reward and inspiration for volunteering.

Valentine's Day is what we make it - A Posting by Rob Poole

It occurs annually around the globe.  It is revered by some, dreaded by some, celebrated by a sum of billions worldwide, and is really something else for the greeting card and chocolate industries. Happy little jingles, greeting cards with quirky verses, cute and cuddly stuffed animals..  red hearts, chocolate hearts, and even red chocolate hearts all seem to pulse with life. These are symbols of our human affections, handed down over time, that we use to convey our fondness and love. February 14^th, Valentine’s Day around the globe, is an opportunity for all to acknowledge and appreciate those things we cherish in life. 

This day, February 14^th, a.k.a. “Valentine’s Day” has history! Whether or not you partake in Valentine’s Day celebrations, the traditions for this day have been around for centuries. There are numerous symbols and activities that are associated with February 14^th. Depending on which story is being told, the people involved in the formation of Valentine’s Day changes too. As with many components of our history, we may never know the truest story about Valentine’s Day, but most accounts go something along these lines:

Valentine’s Day began during the Roman Empire in about 270 A.D. At this time, Rome was led by the unpopular Claudius II whose many wars abroad were not going well. Already hugely unpopular in Rome, Claudius solidified this unpopularity by outlawing marriage. Claudius believed that young men (which he so desperately needed to replenish his failing armies) would be more willing to join the army and be more loyal to Rome if they were unable to marry and not able to devote themselves to family life. Claudius II’s popularity plummeted, even with members of the church and in particular with a priest named Valentine. 

Valentine thought Claudius II’s decree was ridiculous and continued to perform marriages in secret between young people. Of course, Claudius II eventually found out what the priest Valentine had been doing and sentenced him to be executed. Unknowingly, this decision by Claudius II would prove to cement and celebrate the very thing he had sought to dismantle…….the love between two people. While Valentine awaited execution, he became friends with the jailer’s daughter (some versions of the story have Valentine falling in love with her). The moment before he was to be executed, Valentine asked to see his jailor. The jailor arrived and Valentine gave him a note to pass along to the daughter to whom the priest had become much attached, some would say cherished. In closing his note, it is reported that the priest signed, “Your Valentine.” Hence the tradition of being a ‘Valentine’ to someone was born. Valentine’s execution date of February 14^th is still the day on which we publicly acknowledge those we love and cherish. However, if the history of the day is recalled, then Valentine’s Day is really about us as individuals.

Priest Valentine followed his own beliefs and convictions when he continued to marry people after Claudius II had forbidden it. If Valentine had not followed his heart, maybe history would be different. Similarly today, depending on how we have reacted to our heart’s messages, we have created personal histories wholly known only to ourselves. We all have a ‘Valentine’.  Not necessarily a lover, but someone in our life we cherish and love like a ‘parent’ (biological or otherwise), a sibling, a friend, a relative, etc. Valentine held very dearly to his heart the friendship with his jailor’s daughter. So, we are reminded every 14^th day of February that it’s ok to let cherished and loved ones know what our feelings are for them. Practicing priest Valentine’s method of giving a note (Valentine card today) is one way of being a ‘Valentine’ to somebody.

Emulating priest Valentine’s commitment to following what is ‘right’ can be, I believe, another demonstration of what Valentine’s Day means. For those people who are not able, willing, or ready this February 14^th to proclaim their love to another as the Valentine tradition would have us do, then proclaiming what your heart feels and believes can be as equally fulfilling. I think of the population of Egypt today and how they are defying their government and complying with their hearts. Is this not a clear example of cherishing that which they love? (Incidentally, the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines cherish: to keep or cultivate with care and affection.) I think of all those around the globe mobilized in the effort to protect all humans' rights, these people are surely examples of Valentine---the priest took a stand against oppression, for which he paid with his life!  Today, standing up against bullying, especially toward our LGBT youth, and demanding equality in our laws and within society are ways to ‘observe’ or ‘celebrate’ Valentine’s Day. I may not agree with a law, but I will fight to the death every person’s right to be equal under that law. On July 20^th, 2005 marriage for gay couples became legal in Canada. There were lots of Valentines, over many years, who cherished and loved so strongly the concept of equality that now, as a gay man, I can marry if I so choose. I must state here for the record to those who gave of themselves so that I could have this, “Guys, you are now, and always will be, a Valentine to me.” (Big sigh here). Valentine’s Day is a special day and the best part about it? We get to make it special in our own unique and memorable way.

So, whatever surprises are sprung, wherever love is lavished, I ask you to please “cultivate with care and affection” (i.e. ‘cherish’) those people and ideals you hold dear.

 Enjoy your day.

Rob

PS.  For some fun, here are some sites to check out for Valentine’s Day:

http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-day/ this site is very much tuned in to the child and family.  That being said, it’s got so many creative, fun things I’d say check it out!

http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm on this site check out “Ten Romantic Ideas for Valentine’s Day” and “What Singles Can do on Valentine’s Day”

http://www.meridiangraphics.net/lupercalia.htm is for Lupercalia and Valentines Day

Can I get HIV from a mosquito?

My name is Rob Poole and I’m a Community Education Facilitator for HIV Edmonton. In my work, I’m continually asked about why mosquitoes do not transmit HIV.  Here is an article I found with a simple explanation:

Question: Can I get infected with HIV from mosquitoes?

Answer: The answer is a resounding NO. From the start of the HIV epidemic, there has been concern about HIV transmission of the virus by biting and bloodsucking insects, such as mosquitoes. However, studies conducted by the CDC and elsewhere have shown no evidence of HIV transmission through mosquitoes or any other insects -- even in areas where there are many cases of AIDS and large populations of mosquitoes. Lack of such outbreaks, despite intense efforts to detect them, supports the conclusion that HIV is not transmitted by insects.

The results of experiments and observations of insect biting behavior indicate that when an insect bites a person, it does not inject its own or a previously bitten person's or animal's blood into the next person. Rather, it injects saliva, which acts as a lubricant so the insect can feed efficiently. Diseases such as yellow fever and malaria are transmitted through the saliva of specific species of mosquitoes. However, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect and, unlike organisms that are transmitted via insect bites, HIV does not reproduce (and does not survive) in insects. Thus, even if the virus enters a mosquito or another insect, the insect does not become infected and cannot transmit HIV to the next human it bites.

There also is no reason to fear that a mosquito or other insect could transmit HIV from one person to another through HIV-infected blood left on its mouth parts. Several reasons help explain why this is so:

1. Infected people do not have constantly high levels of HIV in their blood streams.
2. Insect mouth parts retain only very small amounts of blood on their surfaces.
3. Scientists who study insects have determined that biting insects normally do not travel from one person to the next immediately after ingesting blood. Rather, they fly to a resting place to digest the blood meal.

There are diseases that mosquitoes can carry, one being West Nile Virus¹. For more information on West Nile Virus check About's Healthcare Center².

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://aids.about.com/od/technicalquestions/f/bugrisk.htm

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I hope this helps.  Also important to add: HIV requires a host cell to bind with, invade, and use to reproduce. In humans, the host cell is the CD4 cell. HIV is a retro-virus that has RNA but not its own DNA, hence the need to invade and take over the DNA of a CD4 cell. Mosquitoes do not have CD4 cells and therefore any HIV present in the blood that the mosquito ingests dies quickly.

Remember – there’s no such thing as a dumb question.  If you have questions about HIV transmission, testing, treatment… anything, feel free to email me health@hivedmonton.com

Have a great day-

Rob

Virii are strains, then they get strainsger… by Dave B.

The staff from HIV Edmonton approached me and asked, “Dave, we want to highlight people who work and/or volunteer their time here and why they do it. Would you be willing do that?” 

I am currently a member of the Positive Speakers’ Bureau here at HIV Edmonton. I take this position quite seriously, as I have been associated with this agency in one form or another fairly steadily over the past 18 years or so. In fact, my dilemma was “Ok, you want a story - do you have a word count in mind? Are you aware I was once a somewhat prolific writer?”  Well, some will chuckle. Some might cry.

A Legacy year. Another year. I look forward to telling you my "story" in the near future. Yet for this posting, I’ll just pontificate. We meet once a month in the boardroom at HIV Edmonton to debrief and talk about our experiences in telling our tales. We share our experiences and ideas about ways we can improve our lives and live healthier lifestyles. Oh, and sometimes, we’ve been known to play. 

Yes, HIV is manageable today, and the best way I can go out on a speaking engagement as a representative of an agency that has given so much to me is to portray it. Then, perhaps people will see what I mean when I say it. Be the part when I play it. Yet, most of all, I know that I have a group of peers who face those same groups, critics, and crowds. And staff who possess the necessary skill sets to absorb my continued shocks and synaptic befuddlements. There is a definite sense of empowerment in this group. A feeling that I can prepare for a better next time, continually looking forward - I like that. It works for me. In honesty, I cannot count the number of hours I have given to the agency. The energy I receive far exceeds the commitment I give through my meager service work. It is a position the agency will be hard pressed to shake me from.

January, 2011

Dave B.

Happy Holidays from HIV Edmonton

HIV Edmonton's offices will be closed at 11:30 am on December 24, 2010 and will re-open at 8:30 am on January 4, 2011.  In the event of crisis, please contact the Distress Line at 780.482.HELP.

Have a wonderful, safe and happy holiday season and we look forward to spending 2011 with you all!

Your friends at HIV Edmonton