Issue 66 January - April 2013 ISSN 1448-7764 The Newsletter of Living Positive Victoria The “People Like Us” issue Promise Maphosa fi rst lady of Possible Dreams International, interviewed page 15 page 1 1 President Sam Venning Welcome to Poslink! Vice President Ian Muchamore My name is Daniel Brace, and I’m thrilled Secretary to welcome you to my very fi rst Poslink as Avi Miller editor. I am also HIV positive, a statement that Treasurer pops up quite a bit in-between these pages. Neil Shepherd One of the joys of working at an organisation Board Directors such as Living Positive Victoria is how lucky I Greg Mutter, John Donnon, am to feel so supported and confi dent in making that statement. Richard Keane Firstly, a huge congratulations to Shannen and hubbie Scott on the birth of their son, Board Staff Rep Oscar. Shannen is the usual editor of Poslink and I’m keeping the seat warm until she Max Niggl returns later this year. Executive Offi cer Brent Allan This edition of Poslink is all about People Like Us: People with HIV; people who love and Manager Health Promotion support people with HIV; people who work to fi ght the spread of HIV; people who work Suzy Malhotra to eradicate the virus and stop it doing its damage; people who want to reach out, read Speakers Bureau Co-ordinator and connect with the experiences of people with HIV. I felt that between these pages Max Niggl there was a such a wealth of community, so many wonderful real stories, both from here in Victoria and far beyond these shores, and all of them about PLU. PSB Administrative Assistant Andrew McLean We’re always on the lookout for contributors to Poslink. It’s your magazine. If you’re not Health Promotion Offi cer already connected, Living Positive Victoria is on Facebook and Twitter, a great way to keep Vic Perri in touch in-between editions of Poslink. Special thanks to all our volunteer contributors, Senior Health Promotion Offi cer there was so much material to choose from, that I’ve kept some for the next edition, which looks back at 25 years of Living Positive Victoria and the incredible stories of Shannen Myers (maternity leave) those who have come along for the ride, coming soon! Daniel Brace SAM Project Worker You can contact me at [email protected] and 03 9863 8733. Wolf Graf Feel free to get in touch. Senior Programs and Policy Offi cer Guy Hussey Business Support Offi cer Table of contents David Westlake Administration Assistant Note from the President 3 Cristian Cortes Garzon Board Intros 4 Finance Offi cer ENUF campaign update 5 Akke Halma What’s Up Doc 8 Living Positive Victoria Looking Forward 10 Suite 1, 111 Coventry Street Tough Mudder 11 Southbank Victoria 3006 Living Well with HIV 13 Tel: 03 9863 8733 Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll 14 Fax: 03 9863 8734 [email protected] Promise Makose 15 livingpositivevictoria.org.au Positive Women’s Retreat 17 Poslink is sponsored by unrestricted Gen Y Guys 19 educational grants from: Abbvie Talkin’ Gen Y 20 Boehringer-Ingelheim Rebecca Matheson joins ICMGlobal 21 Bristol-Myers Squibb ViiV Healthcare Gilead Sciences Merck Sharp & Dohme COVER PHOTOGRAPH: Pictured: Promise Maphosa, Photo: Paul Woodward Janssen DESIGN & LAYOUT: Tom Martin The Positive Speakers Bureau is sponsored by unrestricted educational grants from: Poslink is published by Living Positive Victoria. All views expressed are the opinion of the authors and are Abbvie not necessarily those of Living Positive Victoria, its management or members. Copyright for all material in Poslink resides with the contributor. Merck Sharp & Dohme Janssen 2 poslink january - april 2013 Note from the President Sam Venning Pictured: Sam Venning Photo: Andrew Henshaw Many of the concerns I had when I started HIV treatment In a recent brief issued by the the Centre for Disease turned out to be quite minor. Routine bloodwork results Control in the United States, states that “providing showed my HIV viral load plummet and immune system treatment to people living with HIV infection to improve health return to normal. The results were very satisfying and their health must always be the fi rst priority.” It goes on to I felt I’d made the right decision to start early to maintain my state “early anti-retroviral therapy helps people with HIV health and reduce the risk of passing on HIV. Peers refl ecting live longer, healthier lives and also lowers their chances on commencing treatment generally report the same of transmitting HIV to others.” Similar statements have feeling. New fi ndings from studies showing real benefi ts to been issued recently by leading HIV agencies in the UK commencing treatment earlier and prompted Living Positive and in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Victoria to produce a position statement to help those yet It is important that anyone living with HIV and ready to to commence treatment with up-to-date and compelling take treatment is able to access treatment, regardless of reasons to consider starting earlier. their CD4 count (a measure of the damage being done The few treatment side effects can be easily avoided or by HIV in the body). Current regulations in Australia r managed and starting treatment a few months or years prevent people with higher CD4 counts (i.e. above 500 earlier is relatively insignifi cant considering I will be taking CD4 cells) from being prescribed treatment under the the treatment for many years and likely live to a ripe old age. pharmaceutical benefi ts scheme. We are calling for the One drug, Efavirenz, in my one-pill-a-day Atripla treatment, removal of this arbitrary restriction. caused vivid dreams and interrupted sleep but these side We will support anyone living with HIV who is willing -effects cleared after a few weeks – just as I worked out how er to start treatment early to understand the importance to enjoy them! All up I found it fairly easy to accommodate. of adherence to treatment, potential side-effects but Commencing treatment slows HIV and lets people living also the health and preventative benefi ts of early HIV with HIV live longer, healthier lives. Living Positive Victoria treatment. We also believe that an important group to is encouraging individuals living with HIV to start treatment educate and inform are couples where one person is early for their HIV infection. The advice and supporting HIV positive and the other HIV negative. Studies have information is presented in a position statement on Early shown that being on treatment dramatically reduces the HIV Treatment for Individual Benefi t and for Prevention* risk of the negative partner being HIV infected. recently issued by Living Positive Victoria. The statement We encourage discussion between people living with draws on the increasing volume of research and expert HIV to talk about commencing treatment. If you are opinion that early treatment has an important protective yet to start treatment, consider talking with someone benefi t for the individual’s health and can also dramatically who has to learn about their experience. Those who reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others when used have started treatment can offer valuable advice and alongside other proven prevention measures like condoms. experience about the positive aspects to starting u There are indicators that a signifi cant number of people treatment. living with HIV are not familiar with current HIV treatment *The position statement can be found at online at ed advances. This comes from analysis of reports such livingpositivevictoria.org.au/living-with-HIV/resources. as the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) HIV Future Six survey, Australian HIV Observation report and Tracking Changes Study. Past negative experiences or observations in terms of side effects and toxicities are still infl uencing many personal attitudes and beliefs behind a decision not to be currently treating.The decision to go on treatment has always been something that any person with HIV eventually has to sored rom: face and we want to support people to consider starting treatment early – fi rstly and most importantly for their own health. page 3 poslink january - march 2013 3 Introducing the Board Board of Directors Intros of Living Positive Victoria Greg Mutter-Director I have been living with HIV for ten years. Initially, my university training was in accounting and business, but for the last 23 years I have worked in the education sector. Policies and governance are two of my favourite focuses. Recently I have been working with the Offi ce of Prosecutions to review their guidelines to ensure there are not unnecessary prosecutions of PLHIV. I’m also an avid reader, especially science fi ction. I’ve always appreciated giving back to the community and I make time to volunteer at a hospice, providing company, meditation and reiki treatments to people who are dying. I keep fi t, try to meditate daily and live according to Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. I am confi dent that there will be a cure to HIV, or a treatment that halts the effects of the virus and its ability to be transmitted. Until then, our work is cut out for us to stop the continued stigma and discrimination that exists even within the gay community. Pictured: Greg Mutter John Donnon-Director What am I passionate about? Well, I want to see all PLHIV involved with and accessing services of Living Positive Victoria. I am leading a Membership Working Group to better understand what the barriers to membership are and how we can break through them and get everyone involved.