The Buck Report

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness

2010-09-13T06:42:00.001-07:00

September 18^th will mark the 3^rd annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). This year's theme is "Aging is a part of life; HIV doesn't have to be" and is being recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of HIV/AIDS Policy and AIDS.gov. It is becoming increasingly important to recognize this population and provide them with prevention, testing care and treatment.

According to Michael Ruppal, Executive Director of the AIDS Institute, "This year's campaign theme, Aging is a part of life; HIV doesn't have to be, illustrates the need to promote HIV prevention, education and testing among older Americans. The aging population is frequently ignored when it comes to diagnoses, perhaps because of the disconnect with regard to HIV testing in older adults."

It is important to understand that the 50 and older population is the fastest growing population in the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 50 and older account for:

- 16% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses
- 27% of persons living with HIV
- 33% of persons living with AIDS
- 19% of all AIDS diagnoses
- 38% of deaths of those living with AIDS

Unfortunately, even with these statistics there are older adults who still do not know their status. The AIDS Institute believes that may be due to the following reasons:

I. Health care providers do not always test older people for HIV/AIDS and may miss cases
during routine checkups.

II. People who are 50 years and older may mistake signs of HIV/AIDS for the aches and
pains of normal aging.

III. They are less likely than younger people to get tested.

IV. Older Americans know less about HIV/AIDS than younger people and may not know
how it spreads or the importance of using condoms, not sharing needles, and getting tested
for HIV.

V. Older people are less likely than younger people to talk about their sex lives or drug use
with their health care providers.

VI. Health care providers may not ask older patients about their sex lives or drug use or talk
to them about risky behaviors.

It is important to know your status and get educated about the risk of transmission no matter what your age. Knowing your status helps reduce the number of people becoming infected. For free and confidential testing call Good Samaritan Project's testing hotline at 816-778-0772 to set up an appointment.

Information obtained and adapted from The AIDS Institute www.theaidsinstitute.org

2nd Annual Kansas City Latino Gay Pride/Orgullo Latino

2010-08-31T12:09:00.001-07:00

Mario Canedo has planned the second annual Latino Gay Pride for September 11 from 2:00 – 8:00 pm. This year's event will be held at Washington Square Park and will feature music, dancing and live performances. This event has partnered with the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) which is October 15. NLAAD takes place on the last day of the Hispanic Heritage month and was established in 2003. NLAAD hopes to unite and raise awareness in the Hispanic/Latino community. The 2010 theme is Save a Life, It May be your Own. Get Tested for HIV.

The Latino Gay Pride event allows an open and inviting venue for discussing HIV/AIDS and the need for safe sex within the Latino community in Kansas City. Here are some facts about Latinos and HIV/AIDS:

∙ Latinos account for 17% of all of new HIV infections and this is a 5% increase from 2005 – 2008.
∙ HIV infection among Latino men is double that of white men and four times that in Latina women than white women.
∙ Early detection can help prevent the spread of HIV; of those Latinos testing late, 41% develop AIDS within the first year.

We hope you will join us on September 11 as we raise awareness about HIV in the Latino community. Free and confidential testing will be available. For more information please call our Spanish hotline 816-778-0793 or visit http://www.nlaad.org/ for information about events in other cities.

Statics taken from http://www.nlaad.org/

AIDS Bicycle Challenge

2010-08-24T09:48:00.001-07:00

The weather if finally starting to cool off and that means it is time once again for the AIDS Service Foundation of Kansas City's AIDS Bicycle Challenge. The bike challenge raises funds for local Kansas City HIV/AIDS organizations including Good Samaritan Project, Save Inc., KC Free Health Clinic and Hope Care Center.

This will be the event's sixth year and hopes to continue the growth from last year. In 2009 the event grew to over 300 riders up from just over 100 in 2008. To help encourage team participation this year they are offering a VIP tent for the team with the most participation and overall team fundraising. Of course I will be there with Team GSP, unfortunately I won't be riding but I will be hanging around our table at the event. I would love to see everyone come out and ride with us. Check out our team page on Firstgiving to ride with us or to help one our team members.

This year's event will be at Berkley Riverfront Park and will have four routes – 50, 35, 16 and 2 miles. Registration is $25 before the event and $30 the day of. Riders raising over $50 will be guaranteed a tech shirt or you can register for $50 to get the shirt.

For more information about the event and to see the routes check out the ABC website.
http://aidsbicyclechallenge.org/

Join the Circle!

2010-05-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

We need you for the GSP Circle of Caring! The GSP Circle of Caring is a way for children, teens, families and individuals to participate in monthly activities that directly benefit people affected by HIV/AIDS in the greater Kansas City Area. We are currently facebooking (is that a word?) to spread the idea (join us at GSP Circle of Caring). Here is our project for the month of June.

Help Us Diaper KC

Imagine having to limit changing your baby to once a day because of an inability to afford diapers. For low income families affected by HIV/AIDS, this is a reality. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Help us diaper KC by donating packs of disposable diapers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t public funds pay for this?
Programs such as food stamps or WIC do not cover diapers. Food pantries and other programs for low income families usually have a small supply of emergency diapers, but not a consistent supply for a family with a baby.

Why not give families cloth diapers?
While cloth diapers are great, they also require the ability to clean and sanitize them. Many of our families do not have on-site laundry facilities. Also, most day care centers require disposable diapers. The lack of access to disposable diapers can affect a parent’s ability to secure adequate employment that may help their family improve their economic situation.

The average cost for diapering a baby in the first year of life is $800.

Help us Diaper KC – donate today!
For more information please contact Nicole Davis at (816) 561-8784 or ndavis@gsp-kc.org.

Watch This Spot!

2010-05-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

Coming soon! The Circle of Caring - fun, easy, volunteer activities for the whole family. Keep watching for more details!

Sister Kevin

2010-05-03T07:42:00.001-07:00

After twenty plus years of service to Good Samaritan Project, Sister Kevin clocked in her last hour on Friday. For those of you who had the pleasure of working with her know how much she will be missed. I think this quote by Audrey Hepburn really describes her spirit.

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

I'm From Driftwood

2010-04-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

I was reading the profiles of 40 under 40 on Advocate.com. In addition to our own senator (and GSP friend) Jolie Justus, another profile also caught my eye. Creator and editor of I’m From Driftwood, Nathan Manske has made a place for sharing true stories of gay life. This quote from their website sums up the need for this type of outlet.

To the gay teens struggling to come out and deal with their sexuality, who to this day still attempt suicide 4 times more than straight kids, it says “you are not alone.” Other people have dealt with similar situations, families, communities and churches, and have overcome and are now living happy lives.
It can happen for you, too. It gets soooo much better, I promise. Hang in there, kiddo.

And to the people who don’t support equal rights, it says we’re not all that different afterall. We all have stories and problems and loves and lives just like everyone else. So maybe we should all be treated like everyone else, too.

Every day there is a new story, a different life reveled. So whether you’re part of the LGBT community, or struggling to come out, or an ally, this website is for you. Check it out at http://www.imfromdriftwood.com/

After 160 Years of Service, St. Vincent’s Will Close

2010-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

“Every doorway you looked in there was a young man lying in the bed, very, very ill. It felt like a war hospital. It was very, very affecting, very powerful. I spent a lot of time in those rooms.”

- Cynthia O’Neal, Co-founder of Friends in Deed, AIDS Services Agency

Since the early days of the AIDS epidemic, St. Vincent’s found itself on the frontlines. From the start of the epidemic to 1995 more New Yorkers were affected by HIV/AIDS then the number of U.S. deaths in the Vietnam War. Many of the affected passed through the halls of St. Vincent’s. Every bed was filled and patients died in hallways waiting for a room.

On 12th Street in New York City, this hospital experienced a huge culture clash between the gay community and the Catholic run hospital. Catholic leaders fought public-health initiatives such as safer sex practices and members of the gay community felt angry toward the dicta of the Church. However, as AIDS cases began to account for most of the admissions, St. Vincent’s found its way. Soon the funds followed, assisting St. Vincent’s in providing extraordinary service to those affected by AIDS.

Today, St. Vincent’s is getting ready to close its doors. Currently, $700 million dollars in debt and continuing to lose $10 million each month, there is no way out but closure. With new medications that make living with HIV a chronic situation, the drop in admissions contributed to the financial instability of the hospital.

For many, the closing of the hospital will be bittersweet. Sarah Schulman, writer and activist, was present when her friend, David Feinburg, died painfully at St. Vincent’s. Schulman remarks, “Boy, I don’t have any happy memories of St. Vincent’s. But I’m glad it was there.”

Adapted from www.nymag.com

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s “Super Lawyer Rising Star” John Nechman!

2010-04-06T08:58:00.001-07:00

That’s right, you immigration/civil rights law groupies, John Nechman is coming to town! This Friday, John Nechman will be presenting on HIV and the Law at Shook, Hardy and Bacon (see www.gsp-kc.org for more details).

A founding partner at Katine and Nechman L.L.P., he has been named twice by Texas Monthly Magazine as a “Super Lawyer Rising Star” As a adjunct professor at South Texas College of Law and University of Houston Law Center, he teaches courses on “Sexual Orientation and the Law” and “HIV and the Law.” His experience as an immigration lawyer has led to serving on the board of several well known non-profits, including Immigration Equality and the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association. Nechman has been the recipient of many awards including, the 2004 Stonewall Law Award for Excellence in Advocacy, the Human Rights Campaign’s 2005 Political Equality Award, the 2007 State Bar of Texas’s Judge Norman Black Award and the 2007 Outsmart Magazine Statue of Liberty Award.

We are excited to host the HIV and the Law seminar. Hopefully, Mr. Nechman will wear his cape during his talk.

Are We Stupid?

2010-04-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

“Treatment is popular – voters smile on compassionate politicians who give out life-saving drugs, while frowning on politicians who give out condoms or clean needles that would make those drugs unnecessary.” Quote from Elizabeth Pisani’s book The Wisdom of Whores

This quote made me think about another quote from one of my all-time favorite shows, The West Wing. The following exchange is between CJ Cregg, press secretary and Charlie Young, personal aide to the president. Charlie has just disclosed to a member of the press that the president does not care for green beans and CJ is worried about offending green bean farmers, which Charlie thinks is ridiculous.

CJ Cregg: “Everybody’s stupid in an election year, Charlie.”

Charlie Young: “No, everybody gets treated stupid in an election year, CJ.”

Here’s the thing. Elections often have the distinct odor of a homecoming court crowning. For all intents and purposes, an election shows us who was the most popular in a certain area at a certain time. It also makes sense that if people want to keep the job they were elected to do, they do a lot to stay popular, much like the king and queen from homecoming that wants a run at prom royalty. They do not create and maintain programs that are unpopular with voters. So my question is; are needle exchange programs and a handing out condoms really that unpopular? Or are we getting treated election year stupid?

One point of the book The Wisdom of Whores points out (and other research I’ve read) is that sometimes people have to gradually move to safety. Not everyone has the ability to quit drugs cold turkey or will stop having high-risk sex. For example, people that inject drugs often have a decreased ability to monitor their own safety. Needle exchange programs assist in reducing the risk of disease and can be a source of information for users. Some needle exchange programs help users transition into recovery programs.
Likewise, handing out safer sex kits can be used as a way to educate high risk populations about proper prevention techniques and testing information.

Preventing disease is preferable to treating it. The two pronged approach of treatment and prevention needs to be maintained to better serve our communities and those infected with HIV (and other preventable diseases). Let’s make health a priority (and popular) with our politicians and our communities.

BINGO!

2010-03-31T08:38:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow night I’ll be at Hamburger Mary’s for Bingo Night. Proceeds benefit Good Samaritan Project. Come, hang out, play some bingo and sample great grub! Bingo starts at 8:00 pm.

Go to the website for more information http://www.hamburgermaryskc.com/

Hamburger Mary’s is located at 101 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64108.

How Teens Can Help the Kansas City HIV/AIDS Community

2010-03-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, 55 percent of American teenagers volunteered in 2004. Increasingly, teens are looking for ways to serve their community, either with their peers or with their families. Here is a list of ideas for teens to help the HIV/AIDS community in the Kansas City area.

• Host an information night about STDs at your school, home, or church. Good Samaritan Project (GSP) has classes that are age appropriate for teens and parents. Call Nicole at (816) 561-8784 for more information.

• Do a BUCK drive. Ask for donations of one dollar and see how many you can collect. Or go online to www.buckaids.org and donate a dollar and encourage your friends to do the same.

• Host a cleaning supply or toilet paper drive for the clients of GSP. These essentials can often be costly and can not be purchased with food stamps.

• Host a healthy food drive for the clients of GSP. Unfortunately, healthy foods are often the most expensive. For people living with HIV/AIDS, having a balanced diet is very important. Examples of good products for non-perishable food items are; wheat grain, quinoa, brown rice, pinto beans, and black beans.

• Start an AIDS Walk team with your friends. This year, AIDS Walk is on April 24th at Theis Park. Look at the website http://www.aidswalkkansascity.org/ for more details.

• Come up with your own idea to help those affected by HIV/AIDS.

• Most importantly, protect your health and encourage your friends to do the same. New HIV infections are most common in the 13-24 age group. Get educated about HIV and if you are sexually active, practice safer sex EVERY time. Don’t become another statistic.

Questions about how you can help? Contact our volunteer coordinator, Nicole Davis at ndavis@gsp-kc.org

Where is Bucky?

2010-03-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

Man, does the time fly by here at GSP! We seem to be constantly moving. I have to let you know about all the cool opportunities we have coming up!

April 1st – Bingo Night (8:00 pm) at Hamburger Mary’s 101 Southwest Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64108

April 9th – HIV and the Law Seminar – call Emily or Nicole (816) 561-8784 for more details

April 15th – Castro Movie Night (7:00 pm) at Screenland Armour 408 Armour Road, Kansas City, MO 64116

April 24th – AIDS Walk (registration opens at 8:00am) Theis Park, corner of Oak Street East 47th Street.

Come to one, come to all, come have fun and support GSP!

Current Day PSA

2010-02-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Short, simple and to the point, get tested!

Remember, VD is for Everyone!

2010-02-19T10:37:00.001-08:00

Great PSA for back in the day, when STD were VD.

What is Trich (Trichomoniasis)? STD Spotlight

2010-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Trichomoniasis, commonly referred to as trich, is caused by a parasite. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is “the most common curable STD in young sexually active women.” New cases of trich affect an estimated 7.4 million women and men each year in the United States.

How is trich transmitted?

Trich is passed through penis-to-vagina intercourse or vulva-to-vulva (area outside the vagina) with an infected partner. In men, the site of the infection is usually the urethra (urine canal). For women, the most common area of infection is the vagina.

While women get trich from either men or women, men usually are infected by women.

What are the symptoms of trich?

When women have symptoms of this infection, they appear within five to twenty-eight days of transmission. Symptoms include an odorous, frothy, yellow-green vaginal discharge. Women may also experience discomfort during urination and intercourse. The genital area may also itch. In a few cases, lower abdominal pain has also been noted. Pregnant women with this infection may have babies with low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) and pre-term babies.

Many men that have been infected with trich have no symptoms. When signs do occur, they take the form of burning after urination or ejaculation, mild discharge, and irritation inside the penis.

How is trich diagnosed?

To diagnose trich in men and women, a physical exam and lab test is performed. For women, the vaginal wall or cervix is checked for small red sores.

What is the treatment?

A single dose, given orally of metronidazole or tinidazole, usually can cure trich.

If a man has never been treated for trich, he can continue to pass or re-infect female partners, even if he has never have symptoms. Therefore, it is recommended that all sexual partners are treated at the same time to eliminate re-infection. Those with trich should stop sexual activity until treatment is completed and they are non-symptomatic.

Pregnant women can use metronidazole to treat their infection.

Is there a link between trich and HIV?

Having trich may increase the likelihood that an HIV-positive woman can pass HIV to her sexual partner(s). Also, if the genital area is inflamed by trich, it can increase a woman’s susceptibility to HIV, if she is exposed to the virus.

How can trich be prevented?

The most effective way to prevent trich is to abstain from sexual activity or to be in a monogamous relationship with a partner that has tested negative for the infection. Also, the correct use of latex male condoms reduces the risk for getting trich.

Adapted from the CDC Fact Sheet on Trichomoniasis

Gearing Up for AIDS Walk 2010

2010-02-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

First of all, a big shout out to Chuck Franks, my first on-line donor for AIDS Walk. Thanks so much Chuck.

I am so excited to be walking with Team GSP in 22nd Annual AIDS Walk in Kansas City. Last year, Team GSP was the seventh team in overall fundraising. In 2009, 4,000 walkers raised $432,000 to support the AIDS Service Organizations (Good Samaritan Project, Hope Care Center, SAVE, Inc. and KC Free). These funds assist in keeping our doors open so we can continue to provide care, advocacy, and education for those living with or at-risk for HIV.

AIDS Walk is a great time to come together and remember those who have lost their battle to AIDS. It is also a great time to celebrate those living with HIV. Come and be a part of this great community event. AIDS Walk will be on April 24th at Theis Park in Kansas City, MO.

Want to support me as a walker? Visit http://www.firstgiving.com/thebuckreport

Is Two Condoms Better Than One?

2010-02-12T07:22:00.000-08:00

Actually, using two condoms is less effective than one condom. Wearing two condoms creates friction and this friction can create tears in both condoms allowing for fluids to escape. Since friction is not a friend to condoms, reduce friction by using a water-based lube. Do not use oil-base lubes as they break down latex and weaken the condom.

Some other tips about condoms:
· Condoms have an expiration date. Carefully look at the date before use.
· Condoms should be stored at room temperature. Storing condoms in glove boxes, wallets and other areas that expose a condom to extremes in heat and cold weakens the condom.
· If you (or your partner) are allergic to latex, choose polyurethane condoms. Natural skin condoms are not recommend for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Be safe this Valentine’s Day. Use a condom EVERY time.

Is “O Canada” Falling on Deaf Ears?

2010-02-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Sandra Ka Hon Chu, Senior Policy Analyst for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network issued a 42-page report on the need for needle-exchange programs within the prison system. Titled Under the Skin, this report was complied from testimonials from current and former prisoners that shared needles and syringes while incarcerated.

Ka Hon Chu, noted “The scientific evidence and legal justifications for prison-based needle and syringe programs have long been established – including in our report from last year, Clean Switch – yet still the Canadian government will not implement these proven health services.”

The aim of these needle exchange programs is to stop the spread of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C and may have benefits to the average Canadian tax payer. Medical treatment for a prisoner with HIV is $29,000 yearly and $22,000 for Hepatitis C. Considering that prisoners are affected by HIV and Hepatitis C at a rate that is 10 to 20 percent higher than the general public, the ramifications for ignoring this problem comes with a significant public health and financial price tag.

Given the many negative impacts of ignoring this information, why are governments not implementing the recommended changes? Perhaps, because of the changes it would require from everyone, from elected officials to the average citizen. We would have to admit to drug use (not to mention sexual activity) occurs within prisons and this drug use transmits HIV and other diseases. We would have to admit that protecting the health of prisoners is not a job that can be performed by prison guards and wardens alone, but requires support of the general public. Protecting the health of children and grandmothers is a platform that wins votes for officials seeking reelection. Campaigning with the position of providing free (paid by tax-payers) needles to incarcerated individuals is political suicide.

If we want the spread of HIV (and other diseases) to stop, following the scientific evidence is paramount. Unlike so many other diseases, we have all the tools (clean needles, condoms) to prevent HIV. Creating access to these tools, regardless of the location of the individual, will lower infection rates. However, this is just one buck's opinion.

Adapted from Top News

Can HIV Be Transmitted By Oral Sex?

2010-02-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

A common question I get while presenting at high schools is “can HIV be transmitted by oral sex?” While the mouth is an inhospitable environment for HIV (enzymes in saliva break down HIV), there are documented cases of HIV transmitted through oral sex. All of these cases have been attributed to the ejaculation of semen into the mouth (not pre-semen or vaginal fluid).

Oral sex is a lower risk activity than anal or vaginal sex for HIV. However, many other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transmitted orally, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV), nongonococcal urethrtis (NGU), syphilis, and yeast infections. Many of these STIs are have no or few symptoms and individuals will not know they are infected.

Know your status and reduce your risk for STIs. Good Samaritan Project provides free and confidential testing for HIV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Call today (816) 561-8784.

Information in this post was adapted from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation

New Math or Dang! Some People are Wicked Smart

2010-02-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

I’ve already finished this month’s book selection (it’s so good, I couldn’t stop reading!) and came across this equation

[CstdFstd(t) + (1-FSTD(t)] [CccFcc(t) + (1-Fcc(t)] Pf_mX1V1 (t) (1-C1(t)) [Y3 / (X3 + Y3]

This formula calculates the chance that a client will get HIV from a sex worker. Who says math is boring?

Book of the Month: The Wisdom of Whores

2010-02-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Book of the Month: The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS by Elizabeth Pisani

Pisani’s swashbuckling wit takes no prisoners as she exposes both those who think AIDS can be prevented by preaching abstinence to sex workers and those who see AIDS as a development problem or who try to apply frameworks of privacy developed in the gay bathhouses of San Francisco to the rest of the world, Pisani makes clear, lives are lost because both governments and nongovernmental organizations wish to avoid the fact that people continue to pursue pleasure in defiance of common sense. (from the front jacket flap)

This book takes a hard look at how global prevention and treatment for HIV fails more than it succeeds and costs more than you ever thought possible. Join us in reading The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS by Elizabeth Pisani. Guest bloggers Caroline Wheatley and Megan Brokaw will be joining me on February 26th to share their insights as professionals in field of HIV.

Welcome Guest Blogger Caroline Wheatley!

2010-01-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

There are only 135 days before the World Cup in South Africa begins! Alright, so not everyone is counting down the days for this unprecedented event held for the first time on the African continent. But those who work in the HIV field have had this day on their radar for years.

While some critics have been focusing on the security and infrastructure concerns about this year’s World Cup destination, public health officials are wondering how this event will impact the spread of HIV in South Africa and the continent as a whole. In 2006 I met a researcher from Zimbabwe while working in Swaziland (which borders South Africa) on HIV Education. This man was highly concerned about the potential increase in the spread of HIV during the soccer tournament. Since West, East, and Sub Saharan Africans each have a different strain of HIV, he proposed that the potential for transmission of different strains was highly probable, making it likely for people who are already positive to be reinfected with a different strain. This would lead to a super strain of HIV that could also be highly resistant to medications. To put this in perspective, in Swaziland in 2007 there were only three different HAART regimens available in the country. Therefore, if resistant strains of HIV become prevalent, people will likely have little to no remaining form of treatment, making an already devastating health crisis even worse.

The concern about the spread of HIV during the World Cup has some South Africans turning to policy to affect changes that might help empower a specific population: sex workers. Activists are pushing for the decriminalization of sex workers, an agenda that was started seven years ago and has found another push with the upcoming tournament. The changes are thought to empower sex workers to negotiate for condom use and would reduce abuse of sex workers.

Sex work activists are not the only ones taking advantage of this international event to get the word out on HIV. Stakeholders in South Africa have been meeting with government officials and FIFA’s marketing team to use the exposure of the event to expand HIV education across the country and continent. Plans include massive advertisements and campaigns lasting the whole year, not just during the several weeks of tournament play. To read more about South Africa’s response to HIV during the world cup, check out these links: http://allafrica.com/stories/200912040669.html http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=87109

Spotlight on Project Hopeful

2010-01-20T12:02:00.001-08:00

Since the earthquake in Haiti last week, some of the press has focused on the challenges of children orphaned by natural disasters. I started thinking about the thousands of children around the world that have been orphaned due to AIDS and may be HIV positive themselves. How difficult are their adoption journeys? There is an organization that makes these journeys a little easier: Meet Project Hopeful.
Project Hopeful encourages, educates, and enables families seeking international adoptions of HIV positive children. The organization assists families through immigration challenges, including the 1601 waiver process (waiver for a variety of things, including HIV). This organization was founded by a mother (Carolyn Twietmeyer) that adopted a sibling group from Ethiopia, including a child with HIV. Carolyn and her family also adopted a child that was at the end stage of AIDS. The other founder is Leslie Raneri, a single mother of two adopted HIV positive children, one from Ethiopia and one from Haiti. Check out their amazing stories at www.projecthopeful.org

Book of the Month - My Pet Virus

2010-01-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

“I can be laid-back about my lot in life because I realize that I was destined for a life of medical drama from day one. I was born in the month of July, and my horoscope sign is a disease (Cancer). The symbol for Cancer? A crab (the sexually transmitted critter). Not only that, my parents named me Shawn Timothy Decker, which makes my initials S.T.D.”

Shawn Decker in his autobiography My Pet Virus: The True Story of a Rebel Without a Cure, examines his life with HIV. Diagnosed in 1987 at the age of 11 and given two years to live, Shawn survived beyond all expectations. Now married, Shawn and his wife travel the country speaking about staying HIV-negative while in a relationship with a HIV-positive person.

Although he uses humor, Shawn writes very frankly about his bouts with HIV/AIDS related illnesses and the stigma of living with the disease. This book is great read for anyone looking for a way to laugh in the face of adversity, while embracing reality.

Thank You Sidestreet Bar and Grill!

2009-12-22T07:12:00.001-08:00

Sidestreet Bar and Grill (located at 413 East 33rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64109) collected toys, books, and games for the Children’s Holiday Party. They collected over thirty items for us to give out. Thanks again for your support!

Thank You Simon International Toys!

2009-12-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

Simon International Toys has generously donated over fifty stuffed animals to the Children’s Holiday Party, including this lovely Super Grover. This Super Grover will be one of prizes in the raffle at the party. Thanks again Simon International Toys!

Gee Bucky, What Should I Read Next?

2009-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is that time again, time for another Book of the Month selection. This month we will be reading My Pet Virus by Shawn Decker. HIV-positive since the age of 11, Decker decided to write a humorous take on life with the virus. Here is a description in his own words.

I wrote a book about my life from birth until age 29. It's called My Pet Virus, The True Story of a Rebel Without a Cure. Some have called it the funniest book about AIDS ever written. Others have called it the only funny book about AIDS ever written.

My life is not a pity party. I've gotten away with a lot, and the book is a humorous look at some of the situations I've encountered along the way. I'm happy to be alive, and even happier that I lived to tell my story in a way that others have found to be an enjoyable read.

Join us in reading My Pet Virus.

Thanks Learning Tree!

2009-12-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

This Monday, I went shopping for the Children's Holiday Party at The Learning Tree. The staff gave us great advice on toys and a generous discount (plus we got to shop before the store was open). Thank you so much for making the holidays magical for children affected by HIV/AIDS!

Visit their website at http://www.the-learning-tree.com/

World AIDS Day

2009-12-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

Today is World AIDS Day. Started on December 1, 1988, World AIDS DAY, this year’s theme is Universal Access and Human Rights.

Here are the facts about the effect of HIV/AIDS on the global population.
· 33.4 million people are living with HIV
· Of people living with HIV, 2.1 million of those infected are children
· In 2008, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections
· In 2008, there were 2 million deaths from AIDS
(Statistics from UNAIDS)

This World AIDS Day, do your part to make HIV/AIDS a part of the past. Get tested, have your partner get tested, protect yourself, and educate yourself and others.

Book of the Month - The Naked Truth

2009-11-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive by Marvelyn Brown with Courtney E. Martin is a portrait of a woman that used her diagnosis to educate others about the realities of HIV. Her story began as a young girl in Nashville, Tennessee, the daughter of a strict and success-driven mother and a free spirited, drug-addicted father. She had lived a good deal of her life seeking approval from her mother, love from her father that led to unhealthy relationships with boyfriends throughout her late teens.

Reading her memoir, I was struck with the many elements in her life that created the perfect environment for HIV. When Marvelyn was diagnosed in 2003 at the age of 19, she did not know anything about HIV. After her doctor revealed that she was positive Marvelyn, who worked at a daycare thought,

“must be those preschoolers, I thought shaking my head. Their noses were always running. Their hands were always dirty. They coughed endlessly. Images of all the times I interacted with the kids flashed through my head – holding their hands, helping them clean up after snack time, changing their diapers. It seemed like the most likely time I could have gotten HIV.”

This points to a failure in getting public health information into the hands of the public. Considering her diagnosis was in 2003 and not 1983, it is shocking that she had no information on HIV. Marvelyn noted in the book that the health message from her family and the community were limited to “don’t get pregnant” and “don’t smoke.” Never, not in school, or at home was the subject of preventing HIV (and one can assume other STDs) explained.

Since her diagnosis, Marvelyn has made prevention education her mission. Working for Nashville CARES, then POZ and finally starting her own global HIV consulting organization, Marvelous Connections, Marvelyn uses her life to bring HIV into the light. Her book is frank, hard-hitting and reminds us that HIV is something that affects anyone and everyone.

Visit her website at http://www.marvelynbrown.com/

What is Genital Herpes? STD Spotlight

2009-11-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 45 million individuals in the United States have had a genital herpes infection. This sexually transmitted disease has two types, herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex viruses type 2 (HSV-2). Approximately one out of four women and one out of eight men have had HSV-2.

How is genital herpes transmitted?

Sores caused by HSV-1 and HSV-2 can release the virus. However, transmission can occur from areas without a visible sore. HSV-1 is commonly associated with infections of the mouth and lips. This virus is passed during oral-genital or genital-genital contact with an infected person. HSV-2 is transmitted through sexual contact with a person that has an HSV-2 infection.

What are the symptoms?

A symptom of genital herpes is painful sores in or around the genitals or rectum. These sores are recurrent and can be more severe in people with suppressed immune systems. In the first year of a herpes diagnosis, individuals will have several outbreaks.

In particular, genital herpes can be fatal to babies. Women with active genital herpes generally deliver their babies via cesarean to avoid passing the infection to their newborns.

How is genital herpes diagnosed?

HSV-2 can be diagnosed by a visual inspection during an outbreak and/or taking a sample from a sore. Between outbreaks, a blood test may be used to detect antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2.

What is the treatment for genital herpes?

Herpes can not be cured. The use of antiviral medications can reduce the length of an outbreak. To reduce the possibility of transmission to sexual partners, daily suppressive therapy may be used.

How can you prevent transmitting genital herpes?

Abstaining from sexually activity or being in a monogamous relationship with a partner that has tested negative for STDs prevents the transmission of herpes. Use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of getting an STD.

A person can still transmit herpes even if they do not have symptoms or visible sores. Individuals with herpes should not engage in sexual activity with uninfected partners if they have a sore or other symptoms.

Is there any link between HIV and genital herpes?

Genital herpes, like other STDs, makes it easier to transmit HIV and makes individuals more susceptible to becoming HIV positive.

Information adapted from CDC Fact Sheet on Genital Herpes

Fun with the Three French Hens

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 3 French Hens at Town Center Plaza!

I love this tree!

My favorite cousin came out for the event.

Thank you to 3 French Hens and Amore Chocolate Pizza Company for a wonderful event and to all the friends of GSP that came out to support this fab fundraiser!

Deer Santa,

2009-11-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

I need this for my loft. (hint, hint Santa)

Cricket Anyone?

2009-11-18T10:42:00.000-08:00

A year ago the Pakistan Society, an organization that assists people living with HIV, formed the First Positive Cricket Team. Comprised of HIV-positive team members, this team is using cricket, Pakistan’s national sport, to break through the stigma associated with HIV. According to the president of the Pakistan Society, Dr. Saleem Azam, “the stigma is the worst consequence of this illness, so it will be the greatest service to people with HIV if we are able to help them overcome this stigma.” After playing and winning their first match in August, First Positive is on its way to changing how individuals affected by HIV are perceived.

To read the full story visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/17/cricket.pakistan.hiv/index.html

What is Gonorrhea? STD Spotlight

2009-11-17T12:06:00.000-08:00

Gonorrhea is on the rise in the United States. Sexually active teens, young adults and African Americans have been hardest hit by the rise in infection rates.

This sexually transmitted disease (STD) thrives in moist, warm areas such as the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women and the urethra in both men and women.

How is gonorrhea transmitted?

Gonorrhea can be transmitted through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. Mothers can also spread gonorrhea to their baby during delivery.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

Like so many STDs, many of those infected have no symptoms. In men that experience symptoms, two to five (or as long as 30) days after infection, they may have a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis and/or a burning sensation when urinating. In addition, some men may have painful swelling of the testicles.

In women, symptoms are mild, often resembling signs of a vaginal or bladder infection. These symptoms include an increased vaginal discharge, burning sensation while urinating or vaginal bleeding between periods.

Painful bowel movements, bleeding, soreness, anal itching and discharge are common symptoms for rectal infections. Infections in the throat may be indicated by a sore throat. However, both rectal and throat infections may have an absence of symptoms.

What are the long-term effects of gonorrhea?

For men, epididymitis (a condition of the ducts attached to the testicles) may occur. This condition without treatment may cause infertility.

Gonorrhea in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This disease has many health risks including chronic pelvic pain and internal abscesses. The fallopian tubes may be damaged causing infertility or ectopic (outside the uterus) pregnancy, which can be life-threatening.

If gonorrhea spreads to the blood or joints it can become life-threatening.

Babies born to women with gonorrhea may be blind, have joint or blood infections.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed?

A sample is collected from the site of infection and tested. If gonorrhea is in the urethra or cervix, a urine sample can be tested for diagnosis.

What are the treatment options for gonorrhea?

Antibiotics are used to treat gonorrhea. Unfortunately, many of the strains are becoming drug-resistant, making gonorrhea more difficult to treat.

Can gonorrhea be prevented?

Abstaining from sexual activities is the most effective way to prevent gonorrhea. If you are having sex, the second most effective way to avoid infection is to be in a monogamous relationship with a partner that has tested negative for STDs. Latex condoms can reduce your risk of getting an STD. Individuals with gonorrhea should avoid sexual activity until they have completed their treatment for gonorrhea.

Is there any link between HIV and gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea, like other STDs, makes it easier to transmit HIV. Likewise, individuals that test positive for both HIV and gonorrhea can transmit HIV easier than individuals without gonorrhea.

Information adapted from CDC Fact Sheet on Gonorrhea

Aging and HIV

2009-11-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

When asked why the infection rates of America’s young people continue to rise, I often answer “the perception is that HIV is a chronic disease, almost curable through medication.” However, do we understand the consequences of living with a “chronic disease?” New York Magazine recently published an article by David France titled Another Kind of AIDS Crisis, about the long-term effects of HIV and medication use.

According to the article, “doctors are reporting a constellation of ailments in middle-aged patients that are more typically seen at geriatric practices, in patients 80 and older.” The author also notes “current life-expectancy charts show that people on HIV medications could live twenty fewer years on average than the general population.” Basically, many people with HIV are experiencing their golden years and all the health problems associated with aging in middle age. For many of us the age of fifty seems lifetimes away. For those with HIV, it may be closer than you think.

Especially troubling are changes in patients’ brain function. Patients are noting loss of memory, motor skills, and even personality changes. Researchers attribute the loss of function to HIV itself versus a side effect of medication. Fifty-two percent of all Americans with HIV have some form of cognitive impairment, compared with just ten percent people without HIV (under 60 years of age). The reason for this is HIV can be controlled in the bloodstream but continue to replicate in the brain.

In addition to changes in the brain, people with HIV are experiencing organ failure and bone loss at a much higher rate than their counterparts without HIV. The article states “HIV patients are registering higher rates of insulin resistance and cholesterol imbalances, and they suffer elevated rates of melanoma and kidney cancers and seven times the rate of other non-HIV related cancers.” Medical professionals are unsure if these conditions are the result of HIV or the medications.

The overlap of aging and HIV will be something that affects every person, whether they are infected or not. “In just a few years, half of all Americans with HIV will be 50 or over, according to projections”, explained French. Having to retire in their prime earning years, people with HIV will struggle with daily living expenses and the rising cost of health care. Since HIV research and development is a learn-as-you go prospect, who will be the pioneering medical professionals that will address this issue? Are medical schools equipping students to handle this ever changing disease? Are community resources prepared to take on this demographic?

This blog post started with the question “do we understand the consequences of living with a chronic disease?” Medications have made it possible to live longer with chronic diseases, such as HIV. Yes, you can live with a chronic disease, but with HIV you also have the opportunity to prevent it.

For the full article in New York Magazine http://nymag.com/health/features/61740/

Sponsor a Child This Holiday Season

2009-11-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

We're gearing up for the holiday season at GSP! There are many ways to be involved with all the hustle and bustle. Planning for the Children's Holiday Party is in full swing and we have a new way to be involved. You can sponsor a child ages newborn to eleven for $25 or a teen ages twelve to eighteen for $30. Visit the GSP website www.gsp-kc.org

to make a pledge or contact Nicole Davis at (816) 561-8784. Would you like to sponsor a child as a gift to family members or friends? We have lovely holiday cards available with the image shown at the left noting your generous donation on their behalf.

If you are interested in assisting with the planning for the holiday party, the next meeting will be Thursday, November 19th at 6:30pm at the GSP Missouri office. This office is located at 3030 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64108. Please contact Nicole Davis for more details.

Thank You Linus!

2009-11-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

Today I picked up a donation of 60 handmade blankets from Project Linus. The blankets will be given out at the Children's Holiday Party. Each blanket is beautiful. I can't wait to hand them out at the party! Thank you Project Linus for your generosity. For more on Project Linus, see our October 28th blog post.

3 French Hens

2009-11-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was a lovely Christmas Shoppe named 3 French Hens. Filled with generous spirits and armed with artistic talent, the 3 French Hens (named Sherrie, Danny, and Matt) decided to invite the friends of Good Samaritan Project to partake in their beautiful bounty. Better still, 25% of the proceeds from purchases will benefit GSP.

When: Sunday, November 15th
Time 3-7pm
Where: Town Center Plaza, 4825 W 117th St, Leawood, KS 66211
Website: http://www.3frenchhenskc.com/

In addition, the friends of 3 French Hens at nearby Amore Chocolate Pizza Company will also give 25% of their proceeds to GSP. Visit their delicious website at http://www.amorechocolatepizzacompany.com/

Bucky's Book of the Month for November

2009-11-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and (HIV) Positive by Marvelyn Brown with Courtney E. Martin is this month’s selection. This autobiography follows Marvelyn from a young girl hungry for love to a world-known HIV activist. Visit her website at www.marvelynbrown.com

Book Review: Not for Sale:The Return of the Global Slave-Trade and How We Can Fight It

2009-10-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

David Batstone, in his book Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade – and How We Can Fight It, wrote a heart wrenching, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful profile of human trafficking. The modern slave trade generates $31 billion per year and ranks third in criminal activity (after drug and arms smuggling) worldwide. No country is immune from its activities or its effects. My hometown, Kansas City, is a hotbed for human trafficking, Its highways, that link the east coast to the west coast, the north to the south, give opportunity for trucks carrying human cargo to remain hidden in plain sight.

The author was shocked when the San Francisco restaurant where he and his wife were frequent customers was exposed as part of a slave-trafficking ring. The dishwashers, wait staff, and cooks were slaves of the owner, Lakireddy Reddy. This experience led Batstone to explore the issue of the modern slave trade. He found “well over one hundred thousand people live enslaved at this moment in the United States, and additional 17,500 new victims are trafficked across our boarders each year.” According to the U.S. Department of Justice, they have prosecuted slave-trade cases in ninety-one cites and nearly in every state in the nation.

The book profiled former slaves and advocates working to stop human trafficking. Most of the stories were filled with inhumane treatment and unspeakable acts. Yet, the author weaved in glimmers of hope through the actions that advocates and the former slaves have taken to defeat slavery.

The last chapter contained information on what one person can do to end human trafficking. With slavery, there are the tangible ways you can make an impact, such as donating money and time. However, there are other everyday acts that need to be screened for the mark of human trafficking. Purchases such as food, clothing, and household items are often hotspots for slave labor. Derek Ellerman, co-founder of The Polaris Project, stated he “would like to see grassroots activists track the supply chain of every consumer product we buy to determine how it is produced. Armed with that data, we could shape a policy to hold companies accountable that use slave labor in any way to produce products that they offer to consumers in the United States.”

Big and small, acts must be taken to end slavery. The stories in Not For Sale were overwhelming at times, but worked as a reality check. My eyes and heart were opened to suffering of children, women, and men across the globe and in my backyard.

ADVISORY: This Book Deals With Mature Subject Matter.

Dear Target, You Rock!

2009-10-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

We send a big thank you to the Target on N. Madison Ave in Kansas City, MO for their generous donation of a gift card. Though their donation and a special discount, we were able to purchase sixteen coats for GSP’s kids. In addition, employees at Target set aside a rack of children coats that made for an easy shopping trip.

Target is known for their commitment to supporting the communities in which they operate. Five percent of the company’s income, over three million dollars per week, is put back into the community. Thank you Target!

Thank you to our new intern, Katy, for your assistance on the shopping trip. She kept us on budget and found great coats for our teens. Thanks Katy!

What a Wonderful World

2009-10-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Project Linus? The following statement is from the Project Linus website (http://www.projectlinus.org/)

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:
First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”
Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.
Together we have distributed over three million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.

The Johnson/Wyandotte County chapter has lovingly crafted and donated 60 blankets for the 19th Annual Good Samaritan Project’s Children’s Holiday Party. Thank you so much for your generous donation of handmade warmth!

Ryan White Program Extended

2009-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Funding for the Ryan White Program was extended to September 30, 2013. This funding functions as the payer of last resort for those infected by HIV and funds the case management portion of Good Samaritan Project. Nationwide, this funding is allotted 2.2 billion dollars and funds a variety of services, including direct care and education for health care professionals.

To learn more about one of the activists that made this funding possible, visit www.ryanwhite.com

October is Fair Trade Month

2009-10-21T09:15:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I was hanging out with my friend Emerson, his two kids and his wife, Ashley. With Halloween upon us, Ashley, who is super crafty (seriously, there isn’t anything she can’t build with a glue gun and stuff from the recycle bin) was pulling out items to make the kids' costumes. I asked, “Wow, making costumes seems to be a lot of work, why not buy their costumes?”

Ashley paused for a moment and said, “I like to make things, especially if I can make it with something that would otherwise become trash. When Em and I buy something, we ask ourselves a couple of questions. Do we need the item or do we something that would serve the same purpose? Can we make the item ourselves? If not, can we purchase the item from a locally based producer? Is the item fairly produced? Does it fund a cause we support? Your shirt is a great example of some of these principles.”

I looked down. I was wearing an “I Gave a Buck” t-shirt.

Ashley asked, “Your shirt is made in the USA, right?”

“Yeah,” I responded.

“That tells me that the worker that made that shirt was paid at least minimum wage, had the opportunity to use the bathroom when needed, had a lunch break and worked in an environment that was accessed for health risks. Also, if these protections were not in place, the manufacturer can be subject to fines. When items are made outside of the US, you can look for the Fair Trade Federation stamp. That stamp insures that the producers of the product were given a fair price for their goods and the working conditions are safe. You used a local printer, right?” asked Ashley

I nodded my head. “I could have used an online company, but Blue Collar Press always does great work and we get our orders on time. I didn’t want to worry about needing the t-shirts for an event and having to wait on a package being shipped from halfway around the world.”

After talking to Ashley, I did a little research. Did you know October is Fair Trade Month?www.fairtrademonth.org Do you know there are whole towns and cities dedicated to practicing fair trade? Check out this website http://www.firstfairtradetownusa.org/ Do you know we still have “I Gave a Buck!” t-shirts for $15, $17 for XXL (what are you waiting for? Contact my store manager, Nicole Davis ndavis@gsp-kc.org today!)

When Using Television as a Tool, Make Sure it’s the Sharpest One in the Shed

2009-10-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

With a wide variety of media tools at our disposal, television has one of the longest track records (remember those after school specials?) The medical drama provides a unique format to present public health information. Its hour long format allows enough time to discuss symptoms, treatment, as well as prevention of disease. Is this format being used effectively?

A study conducted by Sheila Murphy, PhD and Heather Hether, MA of the Annenberg School for Communication and Victoria Rideout, MA of the Kaiser Family Foundation titled How Healthy is Prime Time? An Analysis of Health Content in Popular Prime Time Television Programs points to changes that need to be made in order to fully harness the power of television. The data shows the following:
The most common health topic found in top-rated TV shows was an unusual illness or disease. This topic appeared more than four times as often as heart disease, five times as often as cancer, and 20 times as often as diabetes – all more prevalent medical conditions among the American populace.
Health storylines are much more likely to focus on symptoms (65%), treatment (59%) and diagnosis (50%) than prevention (10%).

In addition, the study also noted few portrayals of access to care. Disparities between racial groups were also observed.

A different study (Television as Health Educator: A Case Study of Grey’s Anatomy) was conducted to research the use of television to impart public health information. The Kaiser Family Foundation worked with writers from Grey’s Anatomy, a medical drama based at fictitious Seattle Grace, to create a storyline regarding mother-to-child HIV transmission. With proper treatment the current rate of transmission between mother and child is less than two percent. Viewers were tested on this statistic one week before, one week after, and six weeks after the target episode. One week after the show 61% could correctly quote the statistic and after six weeks, 45% responded correctly. The six week response was still three times higher than before the episode aired. In addition, this information was passed in another form of media. The study found at least 35 blogs that referenced the statistic from the Grey’s Anatomy episode.

Another affect of the storyline, according to the study, was a shift in attitudes of the viewers towards HIV positive woman that have children. Before the broadcast, 61% of viewers thought it was “irresponsible for a woman who knows she is HIV positive to have a baby.” After the show, that number dropped to 34%.

Given Grey’s Anatomy’s experience with using a storyline to educate viewers about HIV, it was disappointing to hear some of the language used on Private Practice, a spin-off series of Grey’s Anatomy. Last Thursday, the cast struggled with an ethical issue related to HIV. A patient was in need of a kidney transplant, had been on the list for three years and she was given only days to live. Her sister was a match, however she was HIV positive and it was against the law to transplant the organ. One doctor remarked that the laws were outdated and treated HIV as a death sentence.

The problem with this episode was the language. Dr, Sam Bennett, played by Taye Diggs, used the offensive term “full-blown AIDS.” As explained on the HIV/AIDS Media Guide posted on the ACT (AIDS Committee of Toronto) website, “This term implies there is such a thing as “half-blown” AIDS.” A person only has AIDS when they present with an AIDS-defining illness such as an opportunistic infection.” Throughout the episode, the dialogue seemed to use HIV and AIDS interchangeably, instead naming two separate medical conditions. This episode did well at spotlighting an ethical issue, however it failed in educating the audience on language to discuss the disease. As noted by Victoria Rideout, vice president and director of The Program for the Study of Media and Health at the Kaiser Family Foundation, and author of Television as a Health Educator: A Case Study of Grey’s Anatomy “for better or worse viewers do absorb the health information they see on TV, so it’s important for these shows to get it right.”

Changing language on medical dramas would be a step in the right direction. Given the sexual storylines on both Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice involving the main characters, maybe a better public health tool would be depicting safer sexual practices.

For more information visit http://www.gfem.org/node/385

Koala Survives Fire, Dies of Chlamydia

2009-10-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

February of 2009 bought devastating wildfires to Australia, killing 170 people and destroying thousands of homes and acres of land. One survivor was a cute marsupial known as Sam the Koala. Sam had been living at Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter, where she had been treated for second and third-degree burns to her paws. While at the wildlife center, Sam was undergoing treatment for chlamydia.

Sam was having surgery to remove cysts caused by the chlamydia. During the surgery, her disease was found to be inoperable. A shelter spokeswoman, Peita Elkhorne noted, “It was so serve that there was no possible way to be able to manage her pain.” On August 6th, Sam was put to sleep.

Chylamydia is becoming another threat to the koala way of life. It is estimated that up to 50 percent of the Australia’s koala population have the disease. According to Professor Peter Timmus of Queensland University of Technology Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, chlamydia in koalas causes “infertility, urinary tract infections, and inflammation in the lining of the eyes that often leads to blindness.”

There is some good news for koalas. Researchers are developing a vaccine for koalas. Last year, trails began for eighteen koalas. “We’ve been able to develop the vaccine for koalas as a result of our studies on the development of human chlamydia vaccines done in the mouse model”, stated Professor Ken Beagley of Queensland University of Technology Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation. However, vaccines for humans and koalas are still in the development stage.

Information adapted from Science Daily and Foxnews.com

What is Chlamydia? STD Spotlight

2009-10-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

How is chlamydia transmitted?

Chlamydia is transmitted in the following ways:
Vaginal sex
Anal sex
Oral sex
Vaginal childbirth (from mother to child)

What are the symptoms?

About 50 percent of men and 75 percent of women have no symptoms when infected with Chlamydia.

In women, the symptoms are:
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Burning sensation when urinating
Lower abdominal pain
Low back pain
Nausea
Fever
Pain during intercourse
Bleeding between menstrual periods

In men, the symptoms are:
Discharge from penis
Burning sensation when urinating
Burning and itching around the opening of the penis

Chlamydia is also found in the throats of those having oral sex with an infected partner.

What are the long-term effects of chlamydia?

Since, a majority of people infected with chlamydia remain non-symptomatic, the long term effects reflect the result of individuals not receiving treatment. In women, chlamydia can spread to the fallopian tubes and/or uterus causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The damage caused by PID can be permanent to the fallopian tubes, uterus and surrounding tissue leading to infertility, chronic pelvic pain and pregnancy outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy).

Men rarely experience long-term effects. However, infections can spread to the tube that carries sperm from the testis (epididymis) and in rare cases, cause sterility.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “rarely genital chlamydial infection can cause arthritis that can be accompanied by skin lesions and inflammation of the eye and urethra.”

How is chlamydia diagnosed?

Specimens collected from the site or urine can be tested.

How is chlamydia treated?

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics.

How can chlamydia be prevented?

Abstaining from sexually activity or being in a monogamous relationship with a partner that has tested negative for STDs prevents the transmission of chlamydia. Use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of getting an STD.

What is the link between chlamydia and HIV?

According to the CDC, “women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV, if exposed.”

This information was adapted from CDC Fact Sheet on Chlamydia

Now Playing – Another Castro Movie Night

2009-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

October’s Castro Movie Night benefits Good Samaritan Project. It will feature the movies Taking Woodstock and The Informant! Sponsored by Bella Realty.

When: October 15th
Where: Screenland Armour 408 Armour Road, North Kansas City, MO 64116
Time: Cocktails at 6:40, Taking Woodstock at 7:10, The Informant! At 7:30

How to purchase tickets: Purchase tickets on-line at www.gsp-kc.org or at the door. Tickets purchased on-line will be entered for a chance to win two tickets to GSP’s Holiday Homes Tour (a $75 dollar value).

General Admission - $8.00

Premier Seating - $12.00 Guaranteed seating in of the first three rows behind the VIP section.

VIP - $25.00 Includes deluxe reclining seat, NEW GSP Bucky t-shirt, and one raffle ticket.

Raffle: Tickets $1 or six tickets for $5.
Prizes: facial from Hollyday Aesthetics
$50 gift card to Serenity SpaThree night stay to The Royal in Cancun (airfare not included

What is Syphilis? STD Spotlight

2009-10-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

What is syphilis?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease passed from person to person through a syphilis sore called a chancre. Sores can occur on the lips, in the mouth, external genitals, vagina, anus or rectum. These chancres can be hidden from view due to the location.

What are the symptoms?

Some people remain non-symptomatic for years. However, there are three distinct stages: primary, secondary and latent.

In the primary stage, the appearance of one or more chancre will occur. The chancre is painless, round in shape, firm in texture, and small in appearance. The sore lasts between three to six weeks. Without treatment, syphilis continues to the secondary stage.

There are more symptoms in the secondary stage. This stage is marked by rashes and lesions, as well as, fatigue, weight loss, head aches, hair loss, sore throat and fever. The rash may appear on the hands and bottom of the feet as a rough, reddish brown spots.

In the latent stage, symptoms are not present, yet infection remains in the body. During the last stage of syphilis, damage may be found in the heart, brain, liver, eyes, blood vessels, nerves, bones, and joints. Due to the damage to these areas of the body, individuals can experience dementia, blindness, paralysis, and death.

How is syphilis diagnosed?

Syphilis can be detected by a blood test or by examining material gathered from a chancre.

How is syphilis treated?

If an individual has had syphilis for less than a year, a single injection of penicillin is the treatment. For individuals that have had syphilis for longer than one year, additional doses are required. Other antibiotics will treat syphilis for individuals allergic to penicillin.

What prevents the transmission of syphilis?

To prevent syphilis, either abstain from sexual contact or maintain a monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative for syphilis. Proper use of condoms can reduce the risk of syphilis. However, condoms that are treated with Nonoxynol-9 (N-9) are not recommended for preventing STDs. Likewise, individuals undergoing treatment for syphilis should abstain from sexual contact until all chancres are healed.

Are HIV and syphilis linked?

According to the CDC “there is an estimated two to five fold increased risk of acquiring HIV if exposed to that infection when syphilis is present.” The transmission of HIV is made easier by the chancres caused by syphilis.

Are there additional risks for pregnant women and their babies?
Syphilis carries many risks for babies. The syphilis can infect the baby causing stillbirth or having a baby that dies shortly after birth. Infants can be treated immediately after birth; however delaying treatment many cause seizures, developmental issues, or death. Since the health risks to infant are serious, pregnant women should be tested for syphilis.

This information was adpated from CDC Fact Sheet: Syphilis

Bucky’s Book of the Month for October

2009-10-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Not For Sale: The Return of Global Slave Trade and How We Can Fight It by David Batsone, follows modern day abolitionists in their struggle to free captives of human trafficking. Discover how you can join the fight against human trafficking, both at home and abroad. Visit http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ for more information.

Book Review: Typhoid Mary

2009-10-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical by Anthony Bourdain is more of a snapshot of a disease and time than a biographical account of Mary Mallon, the first known non-symptomatic carrier of typhoid. The interplay of classism, sexism, and disease is clearly defined in Bourdain’s account. Personally, I couldn’t help noticing similarities between the social climate of the late 1800s and the early days of the AIDS epidemic of the early 1980s.

New York and the country as a whole were in the middle of a foodie frenzy. Cooks for New York’s society families were expected to be well versed in a variety of cuisines. According to Bourdain, “cookbooks and fad diets and manuals on housekeeping and proper deployment and use of domestic help were all the rage.” Given the caliber of family that employed Mary, she would have been an accomplished cook. These families kept Mary in their employ even after she was suspected of carrying typhoid.

In addition to a food revolution occurring among the wealthiest Americans, a new wave of feminism was taking place, especially within the ranks of middle and working class women. “Quiet, demure, compliant women-whose sole purpose in life had previously been to get married and raise kids and run a household for their husbands, however brutish those husbands might have been, were being replaced by brainy, assertive, cigarette-smoking, self-indulgent “new women”, for whom the twentieth century promised new pleasures and real choices”, noted Bourdain. Mary Mallon was one of these “new women” whom was financially independent and appeared to be the sole support of her live-in boyfriend. When Mary was arrested the first time, it required five New York City policeman and the famed Dr. Josephine Baker to take her into custody.

After her arrest, Mary lived in quarantine for three years on North Brother Island. When she was released, Mary had agreed to never work as a cook. She was employed as a laundress, a much lower paying and less fulfilling position. In 1915, she was arrested again for working as a cook under the name Mary Brown. This time, defeated by years of bad publicity, low paying work, and life circumstances, she went without a fight. There were few traces of the new woman she had once been. Mary lived the last portion of her life in state ordered quarantine until she died of pneumonia in 1938, six years after a debilitating stoke.

Bourdain writes from the perspective of fellow chef, at times empathic to the plight of Mary. His portrait of her life opens a window into a time and place that has much in common with our own. His writing style is engaging and enjoyable to read. I give it three and a half out of five bucks.

Check in on Monday for my next book selection.

Picture of Anthony Bourdain from Wikipedia.

My New Office

2009-09-28T07:35:00.001-07:00

Here I am at Blog Central.

An office warming gift from my mom, Melinda. Thanks mom!

And finally, a place to store my "I Gave a Buck" t-shirts. If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt for $15 or $17 for 2XL (plus shipping and handling), please contact my store manager, Nicole Davis at ndavis@gsp-kc.org. All proceeds go directly to support the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City area.

If You’re in Washington DC This Evening….

2009-09-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

On September 25, 2009, the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) will be hosting “An Evening Without Politics: A Benefit Reception” which will take place during the 39th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference. With HIV infection rates steadily climbing in African American communities, the NMAC is planning to announce a new AIDS education initiative at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

The HBCU HIV/AIDS Peer Education Initiative focuses on an “each one, teach one” delivery system. Participating schools will be Virginia Union University, in Richmond, VA; Howard University, Washington D.C.; and Bowie State University, Bowie, MD. Selection of these universities also addresses the disproportionate number of HIV infections in the Washington D.C. area. According to data gathered by the Government of the District of Columbia, Department of Health, Division of HIV/AIDS, three percent of all residents of the District of Columbia are living with HIV or AIDS, the highest infection rate in the United States.

Paul Kawata, Executive Director of the NMAC stated, “We need a national, comprehensive and coordinated strategy to address HIV/AIDS, a plan that requires the same level of accountability and transparency that we demand of other countries when we give them funding to address HIV/AIDS. As part of that strategy, we must continue to address socio-economic disparities, such as unemployment, lack of insurance, homelessness, poverty and lack of education, that have helped foster the AIDS epidemic in the U.S., particularly in communities of color.”

Proceeds from tonight’s reception will benefit the HBCU HIV/AIDS Peer Education Initiative and technical assistance to minority community and faith-based organizations in Washington D.C.

Image from http://www.nmac.org/

What is HPV? STD Spotlight

2009-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

What is HPV?

HPV stands for human papillomavirus. There are 40 types of genital HPV infection. The virus infects the genital area, such as the skin of the penis, vulva (area outside in vagina), the anus and the linings of the vagina, cervix, and rectum.

How common is HPV?

Genital HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and another 6.2 million people become newly infected each year. The Centers for Disease Control also notes at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women will have a genital HPV infection in their lives.

How can you tell if you have HPV?

There are two types of HPV, low-risk and high-risk. According to womenshealth.gov, low-risk HPV can cause genital warts, weeks, months, or years after sexual contact with an infected person.

In women, warts form:

Inside and around the outside of the vagina
On the vulva ("lips" or opening to the vagina) cervix, or groin
In or around the anus

In men, genital warts can grow:

On the penis
On the scrotum, thigh, or groin
In or around the anus

In rare cases, genital warts can grow in the month or throat of a person who had oral sex with an infected person.

Genital warts can vary in appearance. They may be bumpy or flat or so small that they can not be seen. Warts can cause discomfort, itching or burning. However, not everyone infected with HPV gets warts or any other symptoms.

High-risk HPV, the type that causes cervical cancer, can be found during Pap tests. Since many women with HPV infections do not know their status, it is important to maintain a yearly schedule of Pap tests.

While HPV is as common in men as women, it rarely is the source of health problems in men. However, it can lead to anal cancer in men who have sex with men.

What are the treatments for HPV?

While there are treatments for genital warts and changes to the cervix created by HPV, there is no treatment or cure for HPV.

How can HPV be prevented?

Abstain from sexual contact
Keep your sexual relationship monogamous
Use a condom every time for vaginal, anal, or oral sex. While condoms are not 100 percent effect in preventing HPV, they reduce the risk for a variety of sexually transmitted diseases.

What about the vaccine?

The HPV vaccine known as Gardasil® has some limitations. Currently, the vaccine is given to females between the ages of nine to 26. It protects against four of the 40 types of HPV. According to studies, it is effective in preventing 70 percent of cervical cancers, if females are fully vaccinated (three doses) before they have sex for the first time. The protection lasts for five years.

For information on a male HPV vaccine, see my twitter post from 9/21/09 (http://twitter.com/thebuckreport)

Information adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and www.womenshealth.gov

Did Anyone Watch 20/20 on Friday?

2009-09-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

I was enjoying a nice night in. Sweats on, a bowl of Dark Chocolate Moose Munch, and sole possession of the remote, it had all the markings of a perfect end to the week. Flipping through the channels I found 20/20 and the story of Philippe Padieu.

Philippe Padieu was sentenced to 45 years in prison on charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The weapon was HIV. He had been diagnosed in September of 2005 and knowingly spread HIV to (at least) six women. Thirty-three states have some type of law that is specific to willful spread of HIV. However, Texas does not currently have an HIV law, hence the aggravated assault charge.

During the trial, DNA sequencing was used for the first time in Texas and only the third time nationally. The DNA sequencing found Padieu to be the common link in the HIV strain present in all six women. More distressing is that his girlfriend from the mid 1990 came forward and stated that she believed Padieu was the source of her HIV. She was tested and again the DNA sequencing led to Padieu. This fact shows that he had been spreading HIV for more than a decade.

I found several factors of this case disturbing. First, Padieu told each woman that he was tested for HIV and other STDs every year and each woman believed they were in a monogamous relationship. One woman, his girlfriend of four years, asked him point blank if his HIV test results were negative and he replied that he had tested negative. Secondly, by the time two of the women (who had been sick for quite some time) were given a HIV test by their health providers each had a CD4 count of less than thirty, which means they had AIDS. Most of the women were in their late 40s through their 50s. Stereotypically, they are not the face of HIV. However, people over the age of 50 now account for over ten percent of new infections annually. Lastly, knowing that one of his victims was from the mid 1990s, how many people did he infect?

This case brings to light the difficult issues of HIV prevention specifically and public health in general. When you are counting on personal responsibility and ethics to prevent disease, some people will make choices that will lead to the harm of others. In a nutshell, this is what makes HIV prevention a challenge. Each person in a relationship needs to know their status and be honest with their status, sexual and drug histories, and their intent in the relationship. If Philippe Padieu had been forthcoming with his status, he would have maintained his freedom.

Interview With Chana Robinson, Director of Case Management Services

2009-09-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today I interviewed Good Samaritan Project employee, Chana Robinson to discuss her role at the agency. Chana is the Director of Case Management Services.

Bucky: You are the Director of Case Management Services. What does that mean?

CR: I supervise the case management department. There are eight case managers. In addition, I carry a small case load.

Bucky: How long have you been at Good Samaritan Project?

CR: I have been here for seven years, eight in April of 2010.

Bucky: What changes in the system have you seen since you have been here?

CR: Initially, more services were available, transportation, emergency assistance, a food pantry specifically for people with HIV. When I first started HIV was not considered a chronic illness but a death sentence. Now, people are living healthy and positive with HIV.

Younger people are involved with case management. When I started, most clients where between the ages of 30-45, maybe 47. Now we are seeing 18, 17 year olds coming into case management. We are also seeing more people that are newly diagnosed at 50, 60.

Refugees and the immigrant population are increasing. When I started, we would have one or two per case load. Now, about twelve percent of the case load is refugee or immigrants.

Bucky: Why have we seen the increase in these cases?

CR: People are coming over with student or work visas. Also, women are coming to have babies and go back to their country after initial testing of the newborn is completed. Newborns receive an initial test and then are tested at six months. We keep their files open for eighteen months.

Bucky: What changes have you seen in the staff?

CR: Over the years, staff has changed to new college graduates from seasoned case managers. Staff tended to be further in their career, where as now, this job is more foundational.

Bucky: Does Good Samaritan Project have a lower turnover rate for case managers? Isn’t the national average eighteen months?

CR: We have a lower turnover rate than other HIV management sites. I check in with case managers especially around the eighteen month point. I encourage case managers to take vacations, days off and breaks during the day.

Bucky: What changes will we see in the future to services?

CR: About 500 people per year get diagnosed with HIV in the state of Missouri. Of those 500, 250 will qualify for Ryan White services. The system will have to adjust to continue to provide services to long-term clients, as well as, providing services to the newly diagnosed.

Bucky: Wow, that’s food for thought. Thanks for being interviewed for The Buck Report.

AIDS Bicycle Challenge 2009

2009-09-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

It was so great meeting all of you at the AIDS Bicycle Challenge! Thanks to everyone that came by to say hello, buy a t-shirt, and the like. The weather was great and the ride was very successful. A big thanks to Tom Ericksen and Brian Williams, our volunteers at the event.

For more photos of the AIDS Bicycle Challenge, please visit our website www.gsp-kc.org.

What is HIV? STD Spotlight

2009-09-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.

What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. When someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS.

Where did HIV come from?
Scientists identified a type of chimpanzee in West Africa as the source of HIV infection in humans. The virus most likely jumped to humans when humans hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their infected blood. Over several years, the virus slowly spread across Africa and later into other parts of the world.

How is HIV transmitted?
The most common ways that HIV is transmitted from one person to another are:
By having sex with an HIV-infected person
By sharing needles or injection equipment with a person who is infected with HIV
From HIV-infected women to their babies before or during birth, or through breast feeding.

How does HIV cause AIDS?
HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cell (CD4+ T cells) which is crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. However, sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cells and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-retroviral therapies can dramatically slow the destruction of a person’s immune system.

How do I know if I have HIV?
The only way to know if you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more.

This information is from AIDS.gov

Shout Out to Blue Collar Press – The Bucky Shirts are In!

2009-09-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I drove out to Blue Collar Press (www.bluecollarpress.com) in Lawrence to pick up our t-shirts for the www.buckaids.org launch. They look stellar! Come pick one up at the AIDS Bicycle Challenge on September 12th (or available during regular Good Samaritan Project business hours 8:30 to 5:00, Monday-Friday).

Our shirts are 100% Cotton, American Apparel shirts (Standard American cut). Available in sizes S, M, L, XL, and 2XL. Colors: Heather Grey or Cranberry. Made in USA.
Price: $15.00 each $17.00 for 2XL

Teens Leading the Charge in Creating HIV Awareness for Peers

2009-09-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

I came across this great website today, www.nololinhiv.org. It is a website for teens by teens with YouTube videos, ask an expert area, a directory of teen AIDS service organizations, profiles of peer educators, and more. Be sure to check them out!

Bucky's Book of the Month

2009-09-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

This month I’ll be reading Typhoid Mary by Anthony Bourdain (yes, that Anthony Bourdain, star of No Reservations (Travel Channel) and former executive chef of Brasserie Les Halles.) Typhoid Mary is a historical novel about Mary Mallon, infamous public health bad girl and first identified healthy typhoid carrier. Throughout her career as a cook, Mallon infected 53 people and died in state-ordered quarantine. Tune in later this month for the book review.

Elite Controllers and the Promise They Hold in HIV Research.

2009-09-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

As the social marketing intern at Good Samaritan Project, I spend a lot of time reading about developments in medical research. One topic I find fascinating is elite controllers.
What are elite controllers? While the term sounds like a reference to accounting and finance, elite controllers are HIV positive individuals that are long-term non-progressors. According to an article from AIDS Research Institute at University of California, San Francisco, elite controllers “without the help of any drugs, they somehow keep the virus from replicating uncontrollably and prevent the virus’s lethal damage to their immune system.” These individuals have low to undetectable levels of HIV in their blood and maintain high CD4+ counts.

The factors that keep individual’s HIV levels from rising may be the key to better treatment methods. However, Stephen Deeks, a professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF, notes, “The key issue is that probably no one factor will be sufficient. So, it is likely a complex situation in which elite controllers have one, two, or three things that help them control the virus.” In order to determine these factors, data on the genetic differences between elite controllers and non-controllers must be collected and analyzed. More than 300 samples from elite controllers have been donated to the international HIV controller consortium and whole-genome scans are being conducted.

A major barrier to this type of research is cost. Of collecting the data, Deeks remarked, “It costs about $5,000 per person per year.” In addition, the risk to reward ratio in working with elite controllers is high. Yet working with these individuals holds the promise of a better life for those infected with HIV. Deeks states “Elite controllers are not cured, but they are as close to it as possible. We think of them as being like individuals who have had cancer and are in remission. So, we think of elite controllers as the reasonable goal for the treated population.”

Adapted from the article UCSF Researchers Study Elite Controllers So Much Promise Requires Risky Research by Sandra Spence.

For more interesting developments in HIV research see this article http://www.reuters.com/article/asiaCrisis/idUSN03116297

Frequently Asked Questions about buckaids.org.

2009-09-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

What is buckaids.org?

Buckaids.org is Good Samaritan Project’s website for Micro-donations.

What is a Micro-donation?

According to Wikipedia Micro-donations are a form of charitable donations that in general are an amount under $10. Micro-donations vary in size yet target a large audience to make up for their small increments through quantity. Micro-donations in the past have been used most effectively by companies collecting spare change at registers and checkouts.

(I know, I know, I used a Wikipedia definition in a blog post. My mom, the journalism major, is flipping out right now and is probably on her way to my loft with her bedraggled copy of Good Night and Good Luck. But, I digress)

Why is Good Samaritan Project asking for Micro-donations?

Online Micro-donations is a great way to introduce young and/or first-time donors to a cause. It is our goal to grow these donors into life-time givers and supporters of Good Samaritan Project. We are very interested in getting children and teens involved in donating, generating in-kind donations, and participating in service projects and special events. Through buckaids.org, we aspire to develop the donors, board members, and volunteers of tomorrow.

Why is Good Samaritan Project asking for just a buck?

With the current state of the economy and our target demographic (young and first-time donors), Good Samaritan Project is reducing barriers to giving. By asking for one buck, nearly everyone can be included in the giving process.

What can you do with a buck?

It’s not about what one solitary dollar can do, but what a community of donors can accomplish together. Buckaids.org links the power of each individual donation to the needs of Good Samaritan Project.

How much of each dollar goes to Good Samaritan Project?

Ninety cents of every dollar goes directly to funding the mission of the Good Samaritan Project.

What is the process of giving on buckaids.org?

Visit buckaids.org and hit the Paypal button. If you do not have a Paypal account, you can create one by going to http://www.paypal.com/. Paypal is used by companies such as eBay, overstock.com, and many other online companies.

When does buckaids.org launch?

On September 12th, www.buckaids.org will go live.

Come meet Bucky at the AIDS Bicycle Challenge on September 12th from 10:30-12:30 at the Good Samaritan Project booth. The booth will be located in the LIVE! Block of the Kansas City Power and Light District.

Lunch With A Friend

2009-08-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

I met my friend Emerson for a bite at Barley Brewhaus in OP. Usually, the OP isn’t my scene, but Em is full on suburban, with a wife, kids and picket fence. Once he heard about my new gig, he wanted to meet up and talk about his experience with his brother. I thought this would be the perfect interview for The Buck Report.

Em and I go way back to our prep school days, when he was a senior and I was a lowly freshman. Even then, he was a solid dude and someone you could go to with your problems. As I found out, a lot of this came from being around his older brother who died from complications associated with AIDS in 1992. Here is his story.

We’re both enjoying a Tallgrass Ale. He is having the Vegetarian Sandwich; I’m indulging in the Fungus and Fromage pizza. Both come highly recommended.

Bucky: Tell me about your big brother. What was he like?

Emerson: My brother was a great guy. He was ten years older than me, but he always included me in his life. Even after he moved out and went onto college, he made time for me. He would have made a great dad.

Bucky: When did he find out he was positive?

Emerson: He was diagnosed in 1990. He came home for winter break and wasn’t feeling well. The doctor gave him an HIV test “just to rule it out” and it came back positive. My family was in shock. Preston had always been a very monogamous guy, one partner at a time. However, as we learned, being monogamous isn’t enough to protect you.

Bucky: What did this do to your family?

Emerson: Initially, we were divided. My mom wanted to protect her son. She didn’t want to tell anyone, afraid that they would judge Preston, judge her as a mother. You have to remember, this was 1990, before protease inhibitors. This was when being positive equaled a death sentence. Family members were afraid to hug him.

My dad was angry. Why his son? Dad drank a lot in the early days of Preston’s illness. He felt powerless against AIDS and being a doctor himself, he felt letdown by the medical establishment.

My sister and I couldn’t believe our big brother, who was larger than life in our eyes, was being cut down by a illness. My brother went down hill fast. He went from being this tall, strong, young guy to bed-ridden in a period of months.

Bucky: What do you want your kids to know about their Uncle Preston?

Emerson: I wish he could have met my family. We named our son after him. Preston is just two, and Addison is 3 months, but already I talk to them about their amazing uncle. I tell them how kindhearted and generous he was, he was a friend to everyone and had the most contiguous laugh.

I hope my brother’s death will help me be open and comfortable talking about sexuality in healthy, straightforward manner. I want them to realize that HIV doesn’t care about your race, religion, how much money is in your bank account, who you love, none of that matters. You must protect yourself and the people you love.

Bucky: Thanks for being interviewed for The Buck Report.

Emerson: Thanks for picking up the tab.

Image is Deer Stretched Wall Art by Avalisa at pillowsandthrows.com