Vancouver Persons With AIDS Society Newsletter Issue #74 December 1993/January 1994

IT'S OFFICIAL! At the last Annual General Meeting the Society decided to change the name of the Society to: Persons with AIDS Society of British Columbia. We have finally completed the legal technicalities and a modified logo will appear in the new year; PWA UPDATE News on the activies of the Board. An Executive Officer and Facilitator of Advocacy Communications should be hired soon, membership continutes to rise, some renovations are close to completion, new additions to the Board of Directors, and an Advisory Board has been implemented; STANDARDS OF CARE The Perspective of hte Consumers. A standard of care should accommodate health care professionals as advisors in motivating the self-care abilities of the person with HIV; SITE REVEIW OF THE HIV DISEASE PROGRAM ST. PAUL'S HOSPITAL Part 2 of an edited report with the Society received from St. Paul's. The reviewers encounted three different levels of problems: lack of a clear structure at the organizational level, no clear model of HIV/AIDS at the delivery of care level, and at the level of St. Paul's interaction with the community of infected and affected perople, there is a certain degree of ambivalence of commitment to reaching out to the community and developing partnerships; BC AIDS CONFERENCE Health Promotion: A Consumer's Perspective. Presentation to the BC AIDS Conference by Arn. Schilder. In my experience as a treatment advocate within my community, it has become patently obvious that all my efforts are diminished by the psychosocial and economic quarantine in the lives of HIV+ persons. Treatment information and advocacy are of little use if you are marginalized and if your energy is used up obtaining your sustaining needs; ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL Positive/Positive Couples May Still Want to Play Safe; TREATMENT INFORMATION. ANOTHER ROLE FOR NITRIC OXIDE: VIRUS FIGHTER. INTERLEUKIN-12: DUAL ROLE IN IMMUNITY; WHAT REALLY MATTERS Poetry; NUTRITION NOTE Zinc; BILLY'S CORNER Commentary of holiday season; A CRY FOR MERCY Is AIDS the Disease Which Makes the Case for Euthanasia? Report on the lack of research on euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide; KUDOS; GOURMET GOODIES High Fibre Fruit Crisp. Vegetaran Chili; VICTORIA PWA SOCIETY UPDATE Activities for December; TRIBUTES. ORVILLE GERMACK - SEPTEMBER 27, 1993. CHRIS COCKRILL - OCTOBER 22, 1993. RUSSELL "MEGAN" INKPEN - November 10, 1993; POSITIVE WOMEN'S NETWORK the Postive Women's Network is a support network, directed by women with HIV/AIDS, responding to the needs of women with HIV/AIDS; WOMEN'S HIV CAUCUS The HV Women's Caucus was formed to provide a time and a place for HIV+ women to discuss advocacy issues that affect us; JOIN US FOR CHRISTMAS! The Christmas committee is busy enjoying planning our annual social events, hamper and certificate distribution; FOOD PANTRY New hours, new name sought; ACTIVITIES FOR JANUARY - VICTORIA BRANCH; PARC BENCH NEWS: LIBRARY UPDATE The PARC Library is now complete, thanks to the volunteer crew; TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE PROJECT Patient run PWA organization; ART THERAPY Starting up in January; BC PWA SOCIETY INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY VOLUNTEERS needed; WE'RE OPEN. OTHER PROGRAMS/SUPPORT PROJECTS OFFERED BY PWA AND OTHERS. ONGOING GOINGS ON. NOTICEBOARD. CLASSIFIEDS.