When I was diagnosed HIV+ I had no clue what to do next. I felt weak most of the time with a great deal of anxiety 24/7. Of course, I had the stress of not knowing what was going on with my body and what the world was going to think of me. Would I ever get to date again? Would I have a job and be able to go to work like everyone else? I always say it would have been nice if HIV came with a book of instructions. As supportive as my family and friends were, it was hard to accept their support because I felt no one could actually relate to what I was going through.
The day of my first doctor’s appointment came and as optimistic as my treatment sounded, it was hard to believe that they could fix me up and back to feeling 100% again. While in the waiting room, a nurse came in to introduce himself and chat with me a bit. I went on complaining about everything I was feeling and how complicated things were. He said, “Whatever it is that you are feeling, and anything that is wrong with your body right now, they will give you treatment. With that one pill, everything will magically disappear. I promise you that!”
Today, I am here supporting this cause standing tall and walking AIDS Walk Los Angeles so that others don’t have to go through what I went through. And because of organizations like APLA Health, I got my second chance in life, and don’t have to go through it alone. Read my story here.
How’s your fundraising going?
We can feel the excitement building, and we know you feel it too. Thank you for raising funds to support APLA Health’s mission of health equity for all communities, and if you haven’t started fundraising yet, now’s the perfect time! Remember, the first ask is always the hardest.
If you need that extra push, check out our AIDS Walk Fundraising Guide here.
Thank you for your support, and I’ll see you on October 20th!