There is a new section of links in the right column titled “Grew Up with HIV”.
Now that HIV/AIDS has been around for nearly 30 years, there are adults who have had HIV all their lives. Thankfully, they are speaking out about their lives and inspiring others. These people were born at a time when anti-retroviral medications were not yet available (before 1996) and they know the heartbreak of losing loved ones who did not live long enough to access ARVs. Those who survived the early days with very few treatment options eventually got access to ARVs and many lead normal healthy lives now. However, some adults in this same situation were not as lucky and their disease progressed to AIDS before ARV treatment was an option which has lead to health problems or cognitive issues. Others did not grow up in advantageous living conditions (some examples – parents who were not attentive to medication regimes, neglectful situations, and/or living with HIV+ parents in extremely low socio-economic positions without nutrition among other disadvantages)…their stories can also be found online, but I am choosing to feature individuals who grew up in optimal environments similar to those that adoptive families provide, as I feel their stories are most relevant to our topic. This post is open to comments and discussion.
Positively Orphaned 