Jerry

How did the North Carolina AIDS Drug Assistance Program affect your life?

I was diagnosed with HIV June of last year. After having many major surgeries, I was did not accept the diagnosis when they told me I had HIV. I refused to take any drugs because of denial.

At that point in time, things got so bad that I tried to commit suicide. I tried on January 7 of 2013. At that time, I accepted that I had HIV and went to my county health department, which introduced me to the Ryan White program, which would fund me with meds for my recovery.

I thought that I had a death sentence, but they told me I could get my level down to where it’s undetectable, which is a God-blessed thing. With them supplying my meds, I am able to have my levels down to undetectable.

That brings me to what I am doing today. I feel it was a God-sent thing for me to have HIV so that I can come down to advocate to for those in Western NC who are not able to come. I tell my legislators that funding does not need to be cut, it needs to be increased. I would like to tell my grandkids that I was part of bringing HIV to an end.

Now, I get my meds through the federal government, because I am a veteran. Because I am a veteran, I am honored that my healthcare is taken care of, but there are people out there that have low income that are not veterans. I’ve been given the outlet to help people with this soon-to-be-ending disease.

You came all the way from Asheville today. Did you come to the conference today with a group?

I came with WNCAP. They are doing such a great job in the western North Carolina area. More funding is needed to reach out to the street levels where AIDS is running rampant and to touch people that are not coming to be tested, who don’t know that they have HIV.

I am also part of Varick Chapel AME Zion Church. We are using our church ministry to reach out to people in the community to be tested for HIV/AIDS. Dec. the 7^th, 2012 was our first health fair, and seven people were tested for HIV. This year, we’re looking to test 20. That’s the community level. Members know people. The high risk people. The church knows the people in the community.

This is one of a series of interviews highlighting the impact that the AIDS Drug Assistance Program has on the lives of people in North Carolina. If you would like to share your story, contact Claire at claire@ncaan.org. 

To take action to save the AIDS Drug Assistance Program from proposed budget cuts, send an email to your legislators now.