In Kalamazoo and Battle Creek:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. at CARES, 629 Pioneer St., Kalamazoo
• 1st Wednesday of every month from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the Edison Neighborhood Association, 816 Washington Ave., Kalamazoo
• 2nd Wednesday of every month from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the Vine Neighborhood Association, 511 W. Vine, Kalamazoo
• 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at S.H.A.R.E. Center, 120 Grove St., Battle  Creek
• 4th Wednesday of every month from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at Ministry with Community, 440 N. Church St., Kalamazoo

Participating partners in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek include the Edison Neighborhood Association, the Vine Neighborhood Association, the S.H.A.R.E. Center and Ministry with Community.

In Benton Harbor:

• Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. for walk-ins, or by appointment from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at CARES, 185 E. Main St., Suite 604, Benton Harbor
• National Testing Day – Monday, June 27 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Benton Harbor Street Ministry, 200 E. Empire Avenue in Benton Harbor

Participating partners in Benton Harbor’s National HIV Testing Day event include the Berrien County Health Department, Lakeland Health Specialties, United Way of Southwest Michigan, Bethel Christian Restoration Center, Benton Harbor Street Ministry, The OutCenter, Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency and community volunteers.  This event will also offer colon cancer screening kits, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure screenings.

For more information, please call CARES at 269-381-2437 (Kalamazoo) or 269-927-2437 (Benton Harbor.)

The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), a worldwide advocacy network for men who have sex with men (MSM), is encouraged by new HIV prevention guidelines from The Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator for use in countries receiving assistance from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), according to an MSMGF statement. However, MSMGF asserts the guidelines lack specific recommendations.

The guidelines define six core elements for any effective HIV prevention program aimed at MSM. These include: community-based outreach; distribution of condoms and condom-compatible lubricants; HIV counseling and testing; active linkage to health care and antiretroviral treatment; targeted information, education and communication; and prevention, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Matthew Bradley, Prevention Specialist from CARES’ Benton Harbor office, shares his opinion:  “I think that PEPfar is a great program that will help save many lives in countries that have the need for assistance the most.  I think the first step in these programs should be education.  Educating the populations on HIV transmissions and working to reduce homophobic behavior, which causes more stigma, and causes HIV rates to sky rocket because people are scared to seek HIV education.  More training should be given to healthcare providers in order for them to know how to get around the trust barriers and to also build a trust bond in their respective communities.”

To read the entire MSMGF statement, go to http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-forum-on-msm–hiv-encouraged-by-new-pepfar-guidance-on-hiv-prevention-for-men-who-have-sex-with-men-122262008.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110530/hl_afp/healthaidsanniversaryelderly

Shared by a staff at CARES.

OK, I have been living with HIV for 20 years now and always figured it was going to kill me.  Sometime in the late 90′s, after protease inhibitors came on the scene, I started to realize I wasn’t dying quite yet so filed bankruptcy (yes, I was one of those “going to die so let’s go out with a bang”) and continued my disability.

Then I came to volunteer at CARES and transitioned into part-time and finally overcame the fear of giving up that measly $600/month in disability and went back to work full time.  That was 5 years ago and I am happy to report it is going well.

I also found out that following years of switching HIV meds and stopping due to side effects or a mutating virus due to missed doses (especially after a hard night’s drinking), I had developed resistance to all of the HIV medications except for the 2 very newest classes; HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors and CCR5 co-receptor antagonists.  So I started this new regimen with the knowledge, come hell or high water, there could be no  mutating of the virus now as I had run out of choices. Guess what?  They work fabulously and I have the highest CD4 in 10 years (600-800) with a nearly undetectable viral load.  So life should be great, right?

So why is it my infectious disease doc tells me the greatest threat to my health is my weight?  Or more specifically, the EXTRA weight.  I distinctly remember that early on in this virus I was told it was good I had some extra pounds as it would serve me well if I got ill.  Back then they would see people lose so much weight following any illness they never quite bounced back to better health. Now you want me to lose it???  So I did what every red-blooded American does in the face of serious health issues and looked for the easy way out with bariatric surgery. I lost the weight but now know it was not the easy way out but it was the smartest and most realistic for me.  It also managed to cut my cholesterol and lower my blood pressure and in essence, cure my diabetes.  So I am good to go for another 20 years, right?

Yeah, except for the little matter of inflammation that effects us PLWH/A (people living with HIV/AIDS) and all of the health issues that go with long term HIV.  So it isn’t just about where is your CD4 or viral load but how about your CD4 percentage, which is a better indicator of how the virus is affecting your body (mine is on the low side).  Or let’s not even go down the whole “cognitive impairment” road.  Or as it’s more commonly known as dementia and 52% of PLWH/A are afflicted with it as compared to only 10% of the general population.  So while I make jokes about that is why I miss meetings or forget to file paperwork, it is really no joking matter.  I find I struggle with the angry emotions that also accompany dementia.  It is something that is best seen by your friends, co-workers and loved ones.  They notice the difference and chalk it up to aging. Or the severe neuropathy in my feet that causes me to have balance issues and may eventually rob me of my mobility. While I say a thank you that I can be aging, I recognize that the normal aging process is accelerated in PLWH/A.

This virus can be a long term manageable disease but please know it is not an easy thing to manage or live with.  So while I celebrate the fact that we CAN live for 20 years (or more) with HIV, I also realize it is a complicated, unfair world we live in and managing just one part of my health isn’t good enough.  Cancer still kills us, despite our undetectable virus and heart attacks take even the young. Learning to live long and well with HIV is a challenging prospect and requires resources beyond your HIV doctor. So hold fast the course and hope that one day this will all be gone as we find the cure but in the mean time know I’ll be waiting for the next crisis and hopefully handling it as well as I can.

What I enjoy most about Dining Out For life is the community support.  Sometimes in the world of non-profits and deficit budgets and flat funding I feel like we’re out here doing the work by ourselves.  Then we have DOFL and when I welcome people to the restaurant and they say, “yes, we know, that’s why we’re here” I could cry!  I forget that there are MANY people out there who are affected by HIV and support our work in so many ways.  Thank you from all of us infected/affected and fighting the stigma a ripple at a time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

HIV/AIDS has impacted our life’s in one way or the other rather it be a family member or close friend, or the town gossip of somebody who is suspected to have the disease.  During the Month of February and the early part of March let us find ways to combat stigma and educate the people about HIV/AIDS in the African American Community.

Here is a fact that many may not know: Blacks account for 13% of the US population but account for 53% of all new HIV infections according to the CDC.  To me as a young black male that number is alarming because that means there are people out there that don’t know they are living with HIV.  The question maybe asked “Why aren’t these people getting tested?”  The answers vary, but the number one thing is stigma.  Stigma from peers, from uneducated people, doctors, churches, places of business and the number one enemy  the media.  There is nothing more nerve wrecking then taking an HIV test and waiting for the results, but to add insult to injury is when you have stigma going on top of nerves.  During these next six weeks let’s reflect on how we can empower the black community to get tested and inspire others to test.

I want to challenge all of us to explore the most active sex organs we possess: Our brains, and our skin. In the hot-and-heavy of things, it can be easy to forget the intimacy expressed with a body massage, or the erotic potential of a long held eye gaze. Sex doesn’t have to  involve loins directly interacting with one another! It can be fun if it does, but intimate, sexual energy can be exchanged between partners through a variety of methods — most of which are low-risk activities for transmission.

Try it sometime! Light some candles, dim the lights, put on relaxing music, and give your partner a slow, full body massage, making plenty of eye contact as you do so. Massage them as if you’ve never seen their body before, or felt it’s familiarity. Lose yourself in their skin dimples and curves. Feed them chocolate, or fruits, or honey from your fingertips. Draw it out- don’t rush anything, let them totally relax under your touch. If the massage trends towards the groin, just remember to wear a pair of latex or vinyl gloves for safety, and treat that experience as reverently as the rest of the massage. Be process-oriented, not goal-oriented, and enjoy yourselves. When the massage seems to be done, cuddle your partner for some time. Congratulate yourselves- you have both had an intimate, erotic experience, with little to no risk of transmitting STIs!

If this activity was meaningful for you, and you’d like to further explore the idea of full body sensuality as a way to reduce your transmission risk, I highly recommend the book Urban Tantra by Barbara Carrellas. She takes a thoughtful approach to the idea of full-body sensuality, and, unlike some other tantra books, is not heterosexist, transphobic, or loaded with dogma. This is a meaningful and intense way to enhance your sex life, and has the added bonus of offering a new approach to Safer Sex!

We aren’t all taught as kids how to protect ourselves from STIs or HIV, so how are we supposed to know what methods of protection are best for us? Most of us would agree that sex is not the most comfortable topic to talk about with family or friends, let alone our partner(s). Where can we go to discuss all the nitty-gritty details of keeping ourselves safe and healthy while doing the horizontal tango? It’s not as scary or complicated as it sometimes seems. There are simple steps to making sure we stay safe while in the act- because after all, safe sex is sexy.

Sex Safety 101:

Barrier methods are the best way to prevent the spread of STIs, including HIV while engaging in sexual activity. Whether you’re having oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or just engaging in mutual masturbation; a barrier method can significantly reduce your risk of contracting an STI. Barrier methods include male condoms, internal condoms, and dental dams.

Other things we can do to protect ourselves from STIs and HIV are to get tested regularly and know our own status. Unless we know ourselves it is difficult to talk honestly and openly to our partners about the topic. It’s also important to stay informed about methods of transmission for these infections and the ways in which we can lower our risk of contracting them by keeping up with regular health visits and going to the doctor anytime we feel that something is not right within our body. Seeking out free testing services as well as educational opportunities to increase awareness for ourselves and for the community can also decrease the spread of all STIs, including HIV.

Agencies such as Community AIDS Resource and Education Services (CARES) and Planned Parenthood of South-Central Michigan (PPSCM) offer some of those free services and encourage people to take advantage of them. Coming up on November 16^th 2010 there will be free STI testing from 1-3pm at CARES. Just call in to make your appointment.

Sex shouldn’t be such a taboo topic anymore! With STIs on the rise, in a society that is recognized for practicing casual sex, we should be taking the power into our own hands by protecting ourselves and others. Get tested, know your status, and learn the facts because they have a direct affect on you. Keep things sexy with safe sex!

For more information, check out Welvista’s website below.

http://www.welvista.org/

Governor Granholm recently recognized the 6th Annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign. Here is the official copy.

          On behalf of the citizens of Michigan, I, Jennifer M. Granholm

          hereby recognize the

               6th Annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign 

WHEREAS, the health of Michigan citizens has steadily improved over the last decade, however Michigan’s Black citizens are more likely to have poor health and die early from preventable diseases and conditions; and

WHEREAS, the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities continues to grow in Michigan, with Michigan’s Black citizens experiencing a 7% increase since 1980; and

WHEREAS, Blacks represent 14% of Michigan’s population yet 59% of  those living with HIV/AIDS; and Blacks are more than nine times as likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than whites; and

WHEREAS Michigan’s Surgeon General has called upon various stakeholders to identify populations with disparate health care and outcomes and develop ways to reduce disparities in these populations, and

WHEREAS, Blacks are less likely to receive early care, treatment and appropriate medications and die sooner from HIV/AIDS; and

WHEREAS, The Michigan Department of Community Health is committed to the health and safety of all people and must rise to the challenge of reducing all health disparities, including HIV/AIDS, in communities of color; and

WHEREAS, Continued investment in prevention, care and awareness efforts need to be focused, relevant, and accessible to reach the goal of a Michigan without HIV/AIDS in all populations; and

WHEREAS, The Black AIDS Awareness Campaign provides an opportunity to fight HIV/AIDS in the Black community by encouraging individuals to get educated about HIV/AIDS, get tested and know their test results, get involved in advocating for resources necessary to fight this disease, and get treated if you have tested positive for HIV or been diagnosed with AIDS;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby encourage all Michigan residents to strongly support the “6^th ANNUAL BLACK AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN” and urge all Michigan residents to strongly support this campaign and participate in events that are planned across the State from February 1 – March 15, 2010.