25 Stories: Jennifer

Here on our blog, we talk a lot about Care Coordination, housing, and other supportive services for those living with HIV. But what does that have to do with preventing the spread of HIV? All of those services help lower the viral load of our HIV+ clients, making them healthier and less likely to transmit HIV to others. We also reach out to populations most at-risk for transmitting or contracting HIV and give them the resources they need to keep themselves and other safe. Take Jennifer, for example. 

Jennifer first came to The Damien Center as a teen uncertain of how to protect herself from HIV and STDs. But by the time she left, she knew exactly how to keep herself healthy and safe. Jennifer's story is one of hundreds like it - our youth outreach program, Teen Damien, gives young people like Jennifer both the knowledge and bravery to care for their own sexual health.

Jennifer came to our Joseph F. Miller Testing Center for resources and support after participating in safe sex programming through her school. After being tested for the full range of STDs as well as pregnancy, Jennifer and her boyfriend worked with our prevention staff to learn the appropriate way to put on a condom and engage in other safe sex practices. Through Teen Damien, Jennifer is now educated and empowered to take control of her life and her sexual health. Jennifer and other teens like her represent the potential we have to create an AIDS-free generation through early prevention education.

Teen Damien is just one of our prevention and education programs. Project CORE helps recently incarcerated individuals stay HIV- and drug-free, our counseling services help people lower their risk of contracting HIV, and our HIV and STD testing services give anyone and everyone a place to get tested and stay safe and healthy. Your year-end contribution supports services like these that prevent the spread of HIV right here in Central Indiana. Make a gift today and help us work toward an AIDS-free generation.

25 Stories: Paying it forward for the holidays

The holidays are upon us. We're celebrating, decorating, spending time with friends and family, and reflecting on why we celebrate in the first place. We're also shopping for gifts like crazy, milking these very last few days before Christmas to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones (or maybe just those we're obligated to get gifts for). Paul Pickett understands. As a giver of gifts to more than 70 people, this Damien Center board member knows that gift-giving can be as stressful as it is fun. But this year? Paul's got a better idea. Read his story below to find out what he's giving this holiday season and, more importantly, why.
 
One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the hunt for great presents. From my 18-month-old godson to an 80-year-old friend, my list is varied and long, so finding the perfect gift for everyone isn't always easy.

This holiday season, I made a decision to pay it forward. I wanted a more powerful way to let my friends and family know how much I appreciate, care for, and love them. So this year, anyone over 16 on my list will have a donation made in their name to The Damien Center.

Instead of giving another pretty vase or antique letter opener, I'm giving the gift of support, care, and needed services for those living with HIV and helping educate the public on how we can prevent the spread of HIV in our community.
 
The Damien Center is near and dear to my heart. For 25 years, the Center has cared for those living with HIV and led the fight to prevent the spread of HIV. This year, I encourage you to give a gift from the heart and one that keeps on giving. Give a donation to The Damien Center and know that your gift supports real people in need, like many of the stories you've been reading throughout the year.

Inspired to give your loved ones a life-saving gift this holiday season? Make a 25th anniversary gift of $250 or more today and become a member of our one-time only Quarter Century Club, a special giving society to honor those we've served over the past 25 years.

Bonus: When you give a gift in a loved one's honor this holiday season, we'll even send them a card letting them know a gift was made in their name. Give a special gift today! 

25 Stories: Peter

Peter was released from prison late last year. When he first came to The Damien Center to access transportation assistance, 33-year-old HIV+ Peter was living with his sister in Marion County. He was employed but struggled daily to get to work on time. Not only did Peter lack reliable transportation, but he also often came to his appointments in over-sized clothing with holes in his shirts and shoes. The problem? Peter worked in a hot factory, where baggy, torn clothing was both unsafe and uncomfortable. Peter often worked six days each week, frequently neglecting his health and missing medical appointments because he was trying so hard to make an honest living.

Peter's Damien Center Care Coordinator knew Peter just wanted to be healthy and self-sufficient, no matter how hard it would be. Together, they took additional time to work on transportation security and help Peter obtain appropriate and safe clothing for work and other events. They also developed a contract that Peter signed agreeing to attend all his medical appointments as scheduled to help him maintain his health. Peter was referred to Wishard for immediate medication and other medical services, including applying for additional health insurance through Wishard Advantage.

Today, Peter is on the road to success. Since he first came to The Damien Center, Peter has further utilized the agency to obtain new housing through the HOPWA (Housing Assistance for People With AIDS) program. Peter has been in the HOPWA program for nearly a year and continues to work hard and meet the responsibilities of the program, steadily moving toward self-sufficiency and a positive, healthy lifestyle. Peter has not only continuously expressed his gratitude for the services and help he has received, he has expressed an interest in contributing his time one day to similar work. Peter hopes he can one day give back to help those who are in the position he once was in. 

Peter is one of thousands of individuals The Damien Center empowers each year to move forward with dignity in face of HIV. Read more stories like Peter's and give today so more success stories are possible. 

25 Stories: Just keep playing

When Ben was diagnosed with HIV in 1999, he was on the brink of death. By the time he went to the hospital for a cold that had gotten out of control, he was down to a mere 120 pounds and didn’t want to acknowledge the reality of what was going on. “I was there for six weeks and almost died,” Ben says. “I had the whole thing. I had pneumocystis pneumonia. I had Kaposi’s sarcoma. It was a long road to get better.”

Slowly—very slowly—he did get better. “It took me a really long time to become undetectable, like years,” he says. But for Ben, it was like playing a game where he just kept working toward his goal. “Just keep playing, keep playing, keep playing,” Ben’s doctor would tell him. Today? “I’m very healthy. It’s learning how to deal with it, learning how to know that you have it, but not live because of it. You live in spite of it,” he explains. 

Ben credits his personal will to live—and many, many medications—with the fact that he’s alive today. “I’ve seen so many people, so many good friends, who have passed away. They get it and they die. They give up. You don’t have to give up. I don’t ever give up on anything, and maybe that’s something that’s helped me.”

Then, a few years ago, Ben began to stay consistently undetectable. “It was like, guess what, we won. That was an amazing moment,” he says. “It’s so cool that I get to live with it. It’s not beating me, and it’s not going to as far as I know. I won’t let it. I do everything I can do so it won’t.”   

Ben admits it isn’t always easy. Some days, insurance and medications and phone calls and appointments are just too much, and the temptation to give up and be done is almost too much to bear. And then he remembers how far he’s come. “You can get through it, and you can get there, because I have, and I have nobody,” he says. “There was one point when I didn’t think I would be 48 years old, because back when I first heard about it, people were living for six months.”

He also feels hopeful about how far the disease has come in terms of treatment, medications, and supportive organizations like The Damien Center. “I have a really good life, and that’s amazing to me,” Ben says. “It’s really amazing to me that I’ve gotten to see so much of it happen. I want to see it end, and I really believe that I’m going to. I really believe that in my heart and in my soul.”

Help us support individuals like Ben and work toward anAIDS-free generation by giving to our 25th anniversary giving campaign. 

25 Stories: Celeste

When Celeste, a 30-year-old Hispanic woman, moved to Indiana from another state, she had planned to support herself through her profession as a nail stylist. What she didn't know was that Indiana requires a license to do nails, meaning that she would have to go back to school to continue supporting herself, despite her experience and track record as a nail stylist. Celeste, who is HIV+, was unable to pay her rent and utilities, and quickly became depressed about her inability to support herself.

According to a case manager at The Damien Center, she was moving into a "very dark place." Celeste was encouraged to apply for and was accepted to the HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS) program, a long-term housing assistance program for people who are HIV+. This housing assistance allowed her the freedom to return to school to obtain the necessary license, enabling her to once again begin earning an income. Celeste is now in the process of transitioning off of the HOPWA program and even recently won a competition for nail design. None of this would have been possible without the assistance provided by The Damien Center. Today, Celeste has emerged from her depression and is proud of where her life is headed as a strong, HIV+ woman.

Celeste's story is one of hundreds like it: she was in a desperate place in her life,The Damien Center empowered her to find assistance in turning her life around, and now she's stronger and healthier because of it. Celeste's story is also part of our 25th anniversary year-end giving campaign. You can read more impact stories like hers and make a donation on our website. Make more success stories possible!

25 Stories: Art + AIDS

An Illinois native, David K. moved to upstate New York after graduating from college in 1976 with a degree in the arts. With dozens of friends and acquaintances living in New York City, David did a lot of traveling back and forth from Rochester to the city, so when HIV reared its head in the early 80s, David was in the thick of it. “People were just dropping like flies, especially in the arts,” he remembers. “It just seemed like the end of the world.” David, who remains HIV negative to this day, wanted to do something, anything, to educate the public and give AIDS patients and their families a place to express themselves. So, as a gallery curator at the University of Rochester, David began curating exhibitions on visual art and poetry from the AIDS community. “That was my way of beginning to at least make people start having a discussion about how they felt,” he explains. “It was mentally very devastating to see so much of the art community just passing away without any thought of their artwork or what’s going to happen to their legacy after they’re gone.”

New York City-based artist Sue Coe’s radical work always struck a chord with David, who wanted to show her work in his exhibit. He shares his memories of Coe and curating AIDS-related art here:

Early on, I went to one of her lectures. I knew that she had done artwork dealing with AIDS, and her artwork is always very in-your-face militant, whether it’s about slaughterhouses, or rape, or AIDS. She went to Texas and spent time in an AIDS unit in a hospital, and she got to know AIDS patients and did this series prints about these AIDS patients. I talked to her very briefly before her lecture and I told her I’d been curating exhibits about AIDS, and she said, “Well, I should be in your exhibit,” and I said, “I would love that” and she said, “Well write to my gallery and we’ll see what we can do.” 

Well, she’s in a famous gallery in New York City, and I wrote two or three letters to them and of course they wanted me to buy her artwork in order to exhibit it, so I finally just gave up. And then I came home one day and in my mail was a card from Sue Coe. And she said, “I hear you’re having trouble with my gallery. I’m giving you a suite of my prints if you promise to exhibit them.” It was just an amazing gift, so I started showing her work on a regular basis.

She actually worked with a doctor who was also an artist in Texas. He was an AIDS specialist, Eric Avery, and he ended up doing prints on paper that was made out of sheets from the beds of the AIDS patients. They would shred the sheets, the cotton, and make the sheets of paper out of the cotton, and then he would do his prints on these very personalized pieces of paper that came from the AIDS wing of the hospital. So her work was just amazing. She really wanted to get out there. She actually would have openings in New York City, and she would have testing going on in the gallery while she was having her opening. This was in the late 80s and early 90s. That was pretty radical for that time. I think she probably is one of the highlights of my exhibits. It’s also amazing to think of all the people who were in the exhibits who are gone. I’m glad that I had those years to do the exhibits.

25 Stories: World AIDS Day

If Dr. Woody Myers could ask HIV one thing, it would be this: “Let us into your secrets.” For Myers, as for many other who work in the HIV/AIDS field, HIV’s 31 years have been full of mysteries alongside triumphs, setbacks alongside progress. As former health commissioner of the state of Indiana, Myers has seen firsthand the ebb and flow of the epidemic as it has made its way around Indiana and the United States and across the globe.


Tomorrow is World AIDS Day, a day for people from all corners of the world to come together in fighting against HIV, show support those living with HIV, and honor those we’ve lost to this disease. People like Dr. Myers have been doing this for a long, long time. So how far have we come in 31 years? “You don’t have to die from it anymore,” says Meyers. “And that means if you have it, you can extend your life to almost normal by taking your medication and doing good healthy things. It’s not the death sentence that it used to be.”

Nevertheless, Myers shares cautionary words about the state of HIV/AIDS in other parts of the world. “It’s still a major, major public health issue and problem around the world,” he explains. “Although we’ve kind of got our arms around it, so to speak, in the United States, that’s not the case in many other countries, where the battle is far more difficult.” In Mozambique, for example, Myers estimates that only a third to half of HIV+ individuals are being treated and that roughly a third of the adult population is HIV+. “We still have a lot that we need to do and a lot that we need to learn,” he says, “but we’re making progress.”

And some of that progress, he reminds us, is in the form of research being done on HIV and other viruses that work in fascinating and often puzzling ways to interact with human cells. Myers anticipates that treatments like pre-exposure prophylaxis or even a cure or vaccine for HIV are the next wave of development. “The research on HIV has led us to a lot of interesting conclusions and new ideas as a result of understanding much more about how viruses interact with people,” he explains. “It’s also giving us new avenues to attack. The drugs that have been created and the methods used to fight HIV are going to be applicable to other diseases as well. And even though we don’t have a vaccine yet for HIV, we are finding ways to develop vaccines for a lot of other diseases that are viral. So it’s paying off in a lot of other ways.”

This World AIDS Day, we hope you’ll take a moment to think about and act on how you can continue fighting or join the fight against HIV and support those in your life, community, or world who are living with it. Here at The Damien Center, we focus on doing those things right here in Central Indiana, and we invite you to join us. You can read more about what we're doing to carry out our vision for an AIDS-free generation on our website, or find out more about World AIDS Day on aids.gov.

25 Stories: Housing is healthcare

Robert, a 51-year-old HIV+ African American man, was living with an abusive roommate when he decided to seeking housing services from The Damien Center. Robert's roommate locked him out of his home, ate his food, took his belongings, and on the way to a doctor appointment, kicked him out of the car on the interstate and made him walk the rest of the way. Robert's physical and mental health began to deteriorate as a result of this highly stressful situation, and he needed housing assistance to escape this situation.

Robert, who had no income, no family in Indiana, and debilitating back issues that keep him from working, was referred to The Damien Center through the Department of Corrections. Robert had been released from prison in the past year and was already enrolled in vocational rehabilitation and classes for nursing licensure. He was doing everything he needed to in order to get back on his feet - he just needed out of that house.

Robert meets with his Care Coordinator at The Damien Center two to four times a month. Through these meetings, Robert was able to apply for and was granted HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS) assistance. He now has his own apartment and his mental and physical health have improved dramatically. Because he has no income, he also accesses The Damien Center food pantry and Ryan White nutrition assistance, as well as Ryan White transportation assistance so he can attend his many doctor appointments.

Robert's quality of life and sense of independence have dramatically improved. According to Robert's Care Coordinator, the support and resources he was connected to through The Damien Center have reignited Robert's spark for life. "The first time I met this client, he was crying out of desperation for his situation and out of exhaustion for the status of his life," she said. "Now when I see him, every fiber of his being is smiling. He is very grateful for our services and very excited about the path his life is now on."

25 Stories: From fearful to empowered

In 2007, 23-year-old Elizabeth learned she had contracted HIV from her boyfriend. Lost, frightened, and desperate, the mother of two had come to the U.S. from Zambia as a teenager but never received permanent residency. The father of her children was physically and emotionally abusive, but without legal citizenship, a job, family, or insurance, she was completely dependent on him. The once strong and outspoken young woman became fearful, obedient, and controlled. She was terrified of being deported back to Africa, where she would likely die and her children would be orphans. Confused, intimidated and more than a little fearful of the immigration process, she didn’t know where to turn.

Fortunately, The Damien Center’s Care Coordination program was there. Our staff empowered Elizabeth and her children to escape the tyranny of her boyfriend, obtain insurance and life-saving medication for her HIV and health care for her children, and apply for legal citizenship.

That frightened young mother is now a legal U.S. resident with two happy children who will never know how hard their mother has worked to provide a good life for them. Although hers has been a long journey littered with hardships, Elizabeth credits The Damien Center with giving her hope and confidence in herself. She now knows she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.

Empowering our clients to live healthy, happy lives comes at a cost, and today, we need your financial support to continue offering the services that meet the needs of clients like Elizabeth. Help us make this vision real with a 25th anniversary gift today.

We're turning 25! (And we've got lots to tell you.)

We're turning 25 this year, and today marks the launch of our year-end giving campaign to wrap up our anniversary year. What does that mean? Throughout this campaign, our goal is to show you the real impact of what we do and to inspire your financial gift to support the critically important services we provide. The deadline is December 31. From now until then, look for blogs, emails, tweets, and letters that (we hope) speak volumes about who we serve, what we do, and the success stories we've been fortunate enough to see happen right here at The Damien Center.

Below is a sneak preview of the inspirational stories you're going to see throughout the campaign. And we want you to know, there are hundreds more where this came from - stories of individuals who have overcome obstacles and risen above the difficulties HIV brings with it through the support we provide here at The Damien Center.

Already inspired? Make a 25th anniversary gift of $250 or more today and you'll become a member of our one-time only Quarter Century Club, a special giving society to honor those we've served over the past 25 years.  

From homeless to healthy: Billy*

Billy is a 43-year-old HIV+ client who came to us only after being hospitalized and in very poor health. On the verge of being discharged from the hospital, Billy would have been homeless, without medication or a way to support himself. Instead, he came to The Damien Center, where he worked with his Care Coordinator to obtain safe and stable housing so he could stay off the streets and on his meds.

Billy worked hard to put together his application materials—a letter of homelessness and proof of income—and even provided a medical history from the hospital. Billy began to take charge of staying in care and finding the housing he needed to stay safe and healthy. Today, Billy manages his income, stays on his meds, and meets with his Care Coordinator to stay on track. Billy is empowered to monitor his needs, bring his issues to the table, and make decisions with his Care Coordinator to access the services he needs. His Care Coordinator has never been prouder.

*Name has been changed

Read more stories like Billy's and donate today!

25 Stories: The Loneliest Night

Charles describes the night he was diagnosed with HIV as one of the loneliest nights of his life. A few years out of a divorce from his wife of 30 years and trying to get back on his feet, Charles went in regularly for HIV testing and knew in the back of his mind that his past behaviors could have put him at risk. When a new online relationship was on the verge of becoming serious, Charles informed his potential partner that he was HIV negative. “Then I thought, you know, if I tell him I’m negative, I need to be negative, so I’ll go in and get tested,” he remembers. “All of a sudden [the tester] looked at me, and her face froze, and she put her hand on my knee, and she said, ‘Honey, I’ve got some bad news for you.’”

From then on, Charles’ life took a downward spiral. That night, the night learned his HIV status had changed, he was lonelier than he’d ever been. In the coming months, he would suffer panic attacks, endure painful reactions to HIV medications, and begin to plan how he would take his life. Charles would lie awake at night, thinking about how it was the only choice he had left. “I began to keep a pad of paper there by my bed, and I would write down things that I wanted to tell my family when they found me, things I wanted them to know,” he says. Once sleep deprivation set in, Charles fell further into depression, nearing the point where things would end.

And then one day, after weeks of plotting the details of his suicide, Charles came across a packet of information he’d received on one of his visits to get tested for HIV. In that bag was a flyer about The Damien Center. “I thought, you know, I guess it can’t hurt anything,” he says. “So I came in here and talked to one of the Care Coordinators.” That visit saved his life. Once his Care Coordinator learned of his plans to take his life, she worked with Charles to connect him with the resources he needed to improve his quality of life and physical and mental health.

Today, Charles gives back to The Damien Center by volunteering and supporting the agency with financial contributions. “Six years later, here I am,” he says. Alive, healthy, and continuing to move his life in a positive direction.

25 Stories: "We owe him compassion"

It’s 1986, and Dr. Woody Myers is standing before a crowd of medical professionals, media personnel, and concerned citizens in the auditorium at Indiana’s State Board of Health. As Indiana’s young, new state health commissioner, Myers knows this is his opportunity to show his community that Ryan White, the HIV+ 13-year old standing to his right, is just like any other kid. As the press conference to address White being banned from his Kokomo school gets underway, Myers, who’s only recently come to Indiana from the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in San Francisco, reaches over, puts his hand on Ryan’s head, and scruffs his hair.

And that one small gesture, he recalls, reminded people that Ryan was just a kid. “This is not the enemy. He is not a carrier of disease designed to infect you or anyone else. This is a little boy with hemophilia who got a very raw deal,” Myers remembers. “We owe him compassion, we owe him respect, we owe him our love, we owe him his dignity, we owe him the opportunity to be as normal as possible for as long as possible. And all the kid wanted to do was go to school and not be treated badly by people in his neighborhood.”

When White contracted HIV from a blood transfusion to treat his hemophilia, Dr. Myers explains, the health officer in Kokomo allowed local residents’ fear of their children contracting HIV through casual contact to determine his decision to ban the 13 year-old from school in Kokomo.

“From a public health standpoint, I couldn’t let that stand,” he said. “We told him, we know this is not spread by casual contact, so we support him going to school.” To get the message across, Myers held a press conference to show the public that “it was okay to be with people that had HIV.”

According to Myers, “people had done all kinds of awful things” to the Whites because of Ryan’s HIV status. Fear engulfed the small community of Kokomo. Gunshots were the last straw that led the family to move to Cicero, a community north of Indianapolis, where Myers and his team worked to make sure Ryan and his mother were welcomed and accepted. “Ryan wanted to go to school. That’s basically it,” he recalls. How did they do it? Through education, persistence, and a community of people willing to open their minds and hearts.

“The long and short of it is that on the first day of school there was a welcoming committee,” Myers says. “They came out and they hugged him when he came to school that first day. They just made him feel as if he were just part of the gang. And that was exactly what we wanted.”

As health commissioner in Indiana, Myers went on to put Indiana on the map as a leader in health education, not some “backwoods, can’t-think, hillbilly kind of state.” Today, we continue the physician’s crusade through education, prevention, testing, and programs that both empower those who have HIV and fight to prevent the spread of it. Join us today.

HIV: Everyone's Disease

As we move closer to wrapping up our 25th year of service to Central Indiana, we have to ask ourselves: Why do we do what we do? Who should care about HIV/AIDS? Who does it affect?

And the answer, readers, is you. And me. Our neighbors and friends. Our families and our community. Right here in Central Indiana, thousands of people are affected by HIV, whether they have it, a friend or family member has it, someone they know or love has died from it, or - like 20% of those who are HIV+ - they have it and don't know it yet.

Check out this re-cap video to hear from some of the folks we featured earlier in the year and to get your mind wandering about how much this issue matters in our city. The individuals we've been talking to throughout the year are an important reminder that HIV truly is everyone's disease.

A Most Mask-tastic Affair

Sure, the Grande Masquerade has always been a masquerade ball. And sure, we all dress to impress every year. But this year, this year it’s all about the masks. Are you a DIY-er? Big spender? King or queen of the outrageous? Classic and simple? Never fear, Grande Masqueraders, we are here to answer all your mask-related questions, give you hundreds of mask ideas (Literally. We got a little excited about it.), and turn mask-hunting/creating/imagining into your newest favorite pastime.

So where do you start? That depends. Are you matching your mask to your outfit or your outfit to your mask? Big life questions here. In either case, we’ve got some ideas for where and how to procure a mask for this, the grandest of Grande Masquerades.  

DIY to the ma(x)sk
Do you have a glue gun, feathers, lace, paper, glitter, puffy paint, fabric, or any combination of these and other craft supplies? Then you, my friend, are on your way DIY mask-making. Since crafting can be a little intimidating for the less crafty types, we got on Pinterest and put together a Mask-spiration board with dozens of tutorials, blogs, and fancy pants masks. We also turned to our gal Martha Stewart, the queen of crafts, for a few additional ideas. Whether you’re planning on pinning a few feathers to a fabric mask cutout (sure to look more fabulous than the five minutes it will take you) or want to layer lace and glitter and crystals and paint and crepe paper and ornate who-knows-whats, DIY masks can be a fun project for a rainy Friday afternoon (hint hint).    

Swipe that card
Not inspired to DIY? That’s okay—we also pinned almost a hundred of the most amazing masks we could find on the interwebs. If you are a human being, we’ve probably pinned something you’ll like. Seriously, there’s a mask for every taste: ornate Venetian, Mardi Gras-style, classic and timeless, animal-inspired, masculine, feminine, devilish, steampunk, British-glam, woodland-themed, feisty, plastic, leather, moss (Yes, we found a mask made from moss. Thank you, Etsy.), one-eyed, two-eyed, no-eyed, full faced, colorful, metallic, and even hilarious (Angry Birds, anyone?). Etsy, the vintage and handmade mecca of the Internet, and Amazon, also a mecca though we’re not sure of what, both feature more mask options than you could imagine and are great resources if you prefer to buy your mask. Prices range from the cost of a latte at Starbucks to a tropical vacay. Want to go local or try it on first? Check out Margie’s Costumes at 38th and Illinois, any of the Party City stores around the city, or those Halloween pop-up stores that set up shop this time of year. And lastly, to take the worry entirely out of your mask selection, let us do the work. When you buy a Grande Masquerade ticket, just check the box to add a mask to your order and we’ll have it ready for you at the event.

Bring out your inner artiste
Okay, okay, so you’re not inspired by Martha, Etsy, or Amazon? We have one more fantastic suggestion for the mask-phobic: paint that mask right on your pretty little face. Check out our Pinterest board (one last time) for some beautiful facepaint/makeup mask ideas. Even something as simple as glitter and black eyeliner can create a mask-like effect. More elaborate masks may require a professional makeup artist or partner in crime to assist with application. You can find costume makeup for sale at any Halloween or costume store, or just get creative with all those M.A.C. colors you bought but never wear. Yeah, we know, they were in in 1995…

We’re here for you and your mask
Still need a listening ear to work through some mask ideas? We’ve got your back. Or face. Whatever. Your friendly blogess is just an email away: kcoon@damien.org. And don’t forget, Grande Masquerade ticket prices go up $25 in just a few short hours (at 5pm!), so snag those tickets online riiiiight now. See you on the 20th!

25 Stories: Bernadette Goes Uptown

In a few short weeks, we’ll be transforming the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott into a grand gala, a masquerade ball to celebrate our 25th year of service to Central Indiana, an evening to outshine all others. The Grande Masquerade is nearly upon us. With this magnificent [read: super fun and fancy] celebration just on the horizon, we thought it’d be fun to look back at the history of our fundraisers. Turns out, The Damien Center has a legacy of hosting rockin’ parties, performances, and other fundraising events to get the word out and raise money.  Tom Alvarez, one of our earliest supporters and fundraisers, sat down with us to talk about “Bernadette Galanti Goes Uptown for The Damien Center,” which was, according to Tom, as fantastic as it sounds.

At the time (late 80s/early 90s), Bernadette Galanti was a well-known performer at the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Cabaret. (Yes, the IRT had a Cabaret. Yes, we wish they still did.) As a performer who had lived in New York City for some time in the 1980s, Bernadette knew people who had HIV/AIDS and was interested in supporting the cause, so Tom, a former television producer, enlisted her to put on a show for The Damien Center. “It was one night only," Tom says, “and it was a first-class affair all the way around.” As a result of her one-woman show at Broad Ripple’s Vogue Theater, Bernadette became very popular within the gay community and “became our local Liza Minelli,” Tom recalls. This event, he says, was one that helped organize and solidify the gay community “not only around the AIDS issue but by being public and by being out there.”

What did Tom and his fellow organizers learn from this, one of their first fundraising undertakings? Sponsors sponsors sponsors. “Most of the proceeds went toward the expenses,” Tom says, “so what we learned was that you really have to have sponsorships for those kinds of things. This was all kind of virgin territory, not only to us, but to the gay community in general.” And with that, we'd like to thank our extremely generous Grande Masquerade sponsors, especially our Event Presenting Sponsors, McNamara Florist and Marion County Public Health Department.

Now, back to the show. It wasn’t just for fun. Bernadette’s performance was, like other fundraisers for AIDS service organizations at the time, critical to how early activists were able to get the word out about AIDS in places like Indianapolis. “AIDS like in many other places, forced people to come forward and to come out, because it was very clear to us that if we didn’t, it was just going to make things worse,” Tom explains. “If we didn’t step forward to educate our community, the larger community, the epidemic would as quickly or grow more quickly.”

So, people like Tom stepped up and started to organize events like Bernadette’s show. Today, we have events like Grande Masquerade that continue the legacy of FUNdraising, bringing awareness to HIV/AIDS as a cause, and bringing people together in the name of a better community. So whether you’ve been around long enough to remember “Bernadette Galanti Goes Uptown” or are just getting your feet wet in supporting The Damien Center, we thank you and hope you’ll join us for this year’s Grande Masquerade on October 20.

Happy birthday to (all of) us!

Birthdays are good for celebrating, laughing, imbibing, indulging. You know the drill: cake, cocktails, loved ones, favorite places and spaces. But they're also good for looking back. Reflecting. Thinking about how far you've come and what you've been doing that matters to you and your values.

Today, I - Kimberly, your faithful Damien Center blogger and marketing coordinator - have been doing just that as I celebrate my 27th birthday. I've been asking myself, what have I been doing these last few weeks, months, and years that enriches my life and others', that makes my community a better place?

Here at The Damien Center, we've also been celebrating our birthday - all year long. It's our 25th year serving those affected by HIV in Central Indiana, and we're so proud of the legacy we have as Indiana's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization. What we do and how we do it didn't start last year or last month. It started in 1987, when a caring, progressive group of people got together to support a community in crisis.

Birthday reflections, for us, have us looking at who we served, how we served them, and where our (your) funding dollars went. So, what have we been doing that matters to us, our values, and our community? In 2011, we:

• performed 2,315 free HIV tests
• reached 796 youth through prevention education
• served 1,126 clients through Care Coordination
• helped 96 families find housing
• fed 616 clients through our food pantry
• assisted 124 clients in receiving emergency financial assistance

And this is just the beginning. Birthdays are also for looking ahead to the coming year(s), planning for a strong future, setting goals, and living life. So as I and The Damien Center look ahead to our next 25 years, we hope you'll help us celebrate both where we came from and where we're going.

Looking for ways to honor our 25 year legacy? Make a donation, volunteer, walk with us in the 2012 Indiana AIDS Walk, or snag a ticket for swankiest gala in town, the 25th Annual Grande Masquerade.  

25 Stories: Losing a Buddy

A few weeks ago, you read about the beginning of Mark Lee’s journey to becoming an AIDS activist (the part where he visits a gay bar for the first time and realizes he has to take action), but it didn’t stop there. A few years after his unexpected introduction to what AIDS is and how he could help, Mark got involved with The Damien Center’s Buddy Support Program through Howard Warren, an HIV+ pastor at his church. Mark was one of the Center’s original buddies when he joined in 1987.

The program, according to Mark, was designed so that two people would be assigned to each person with HIV to serve as a support system for whatever was needed. “Our job was just to help them,” Mark explains. And help they did—with anything. It was the buddies’ job to help with transitioning to an HIV+ lifestyle, taking medications, advocating at doctor appointments, or even planning for their funerals. “Ideally you wanted to become a friend with them first, but a lot of times people didn’t have time for that,” Mark says. “They were thrown into dealing with hospitals who didn’t want to deal at all with people with AIDS and were being discriminatory, or with family members.”

Mark’s first buddy through the program was Bob, one of the last surviving members of the original group of People with AIDS. Though their relationship got off to a rocky start—Bob was wary of the program and Mark had recently lost a dear friend to AIDS—they ended up becoming close. “He was my best friend,” Mark recalls. Bob was tough, determined to live on in the face of HIV. Though the survival rate at the time was only six months to two years, Bob had already lived three years with the disease when he and Mark met, and he would live for another three after that.

But for Mark, his friendship with Bob became a source of guilt. He would go to Buddy Support Program meetings at The Damien Center each week and feel guilty because his buddy was in good health while others were struggling with ill health, or worse, with the death of their buddy. “I told them one time I felt guilty, because all we did was laugh and have a good time, and not really anything as far as helping him with doctors or anything like that,” Mark explains. “Then someone pointed out—that’s actually how it’s supposed to work. You develop this friendship, this trust between you, so that when he does need you, then you’ve already established that friendship, and he’s able to lean on you, and you can help him out with whatever he needs.” And that’s exactly how it panned out for Mark and Bob. When Bob eventually lost his eyesight and wasn’t as healthy as he had once been, Mark helped him through the last few months of his life.

Today, though the Buddy Support Program no longer exists, The Damien Center offers support to HIV+ individuals in the form of Care Coordination services. Highly trained Care Coordinators work with our clients to connect them with all the resources they need to life healthy lives and move forward each day with dignity. Stable housing, medical care, insurance, nutritional needs, counseling—clients and Care Coordinators work together to determine what the individual needs to be healthy and happy. Losing Bob was painful for Mark, but because of important support mechanisms like the Buddy Support Program and Care Coordination, those living with HIV can find the resources and relationships they need at The Damien Center.

Take a walk with us!

What's better than a stroll through a historic Indianapolis neighborhood on a beautiful fall evening with good friends? Doing all that while supporting the Indiana AIDS Fund, we think! Join our 2012 Indiana AIDS Walk team for a "Walk Around the Block, where we'll walk roughly one-mile through historic Herron Morton Place.

Entertainment, food trucks, and activities along the route plus a wellness fair and awards make this a can't-miss event that supports the Gregory R. Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistance (DEFA) Fund and benefits The Damien Center's clients. This a family friendly event, so bring your kids, cousins, grandparents, friends, and more - you can even bring your pets and their friends.

By walking with us and raising money through family, friends, co-workers, employers and others, you're helping provide funds for emergency shelter, utilities, food, medicine, transportation and other critical needs of those living with HIV/AIDS.

Here's the schedule:

Saturday, September 29, 2012
3:30 pm - Registration opens at 16th and Alabama Street
3:45pm - Live entertainment
4:30pm - Welcome and awards
5 pm - Step-off at 16th and Alabama

Immediately after the Walk, Greg's Our Place will be hosting a BBQ Party on the patio! The first 200 walkers (21 and up) get in free.

Location: Herron Morton Place

Register at IndianaAIDSwalk.org

25 Stories: Trial by Fire

Steve Everett’s first job at an AIDS service organization was supposed to be temporary. He’d taken an office manager position at Indiana Community AIDS Action Network (ICAAN), then housed in The Damien Center, just until he found his first teaching job. But instead, Steve, who grew up in rural Indiana with little exposure to the HIV/AIDS crisis, became unexpectedly passionate about the cause and has continued to work in the field since he first set foot in The Damien Center in 1991.

But those days, according to Steve, never saw a dull moment. “It was kind of trial by fire in the early days working here,” he says. Because The Damien Center was housed in an archdiocese building with a handful of other HIV-related organizations—Indiana Cares, ICAAN, Indiana Youth Group, Project Outreach, to name a few—the Center became a safe haven both for people infected with HIV and those who served them. That also meant people came from far and wide to seek the HIV/AIDS services offered by The Damien Center.

“There were many, many people that were coming to The Damien Center in the very end stages of the disease. They sometimes would walk in and just collapse,” Steve explains. “It was not uncommon to leave to go to lunch and then come back and there’d be an ambulance parked right at the front door.”

Those in need of care, says Steve, would drive in to the Center from as far Paoli, Indiana; Effingham, Illinois; or Dayton, Ohio because very few places in the Midwest outside of Chicago existed to provide these needed services. “They would hear about this Damien Center and make the trip,” Steve says, “but a lot of times their health was in such bad shape, that they had to go right to the hospital.”

Today, Steve serves as the director of programs for the Indiana Family Health Council, a quasi-federal agency that provides family planning services, testing, and more across Indiana. But he hasn’t forgotten his early experiences working in the field. “Back in the early days, it was by the seat of our pants,” he says. “Everything was kind of ‘let’s see what happens and then we’ll tweak it as we go along.’ Everything was very much a crisis approach.” The approach to prevention and care now, he says, has improved drastically and is “much more formalized.” Through his service in state government, private philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations, Steve has worked tirelessly to continue moving Indiana forward in providing services for those affected by HIV and in preventing the spread of it.

25 Stories: Bullwinkle's and GRID - Learning About AIDS in 1982

When Mark Lee, a young IU Hoosier with a painfully shy disposition, mustered up the courage to sneak into Bullwinkle’s one fateful evening in 1982, he had no idea his world would be turned upside down. Anxious about being carded and uncertain whether or where he belonged on the disco dance floor at one of Bloomington’s mainstay bars for the gay community, Mark turned to a publications rack for comfort and picked up the first thing he could find.

Skimming through an arbitrary publication, only half-focused on its contents, Mark’s eyes fell on an article about GRID (Gay-related immunodeficiency), a disease that would capture his attention for many years to come. Gay-related immunodeficiency, an early term for AIDS, was taking the gay community by storm, but fear was spreading just as quickly.

“No one knew where it was coming from,” Mark recalls. “They just knew that gay men in New York and San Francisco were dying of this horrible disease and that they were dying within six months of being diagnosed.”

For Mark, it was a wake-up call. Besides being his “first real experience in a gay bar or anything in the gay community,” Mark was drawn in by what he could do to keep himself safe in the midst of a national crisis. “I did a lot of reading,” he says. “I read everything I could on it: signs you might be positive, how to take care of yourself, anything.”

According to Mark, he came out just as the gay community was making a major shift. On the one hand, an era of promiscuity, bath houses, and anonymous sex was ending, while AIDS was only just beginning. “People started dying,” Mark says, “and then people started taking notice and taking care of themselves.”

Despite the initial fear and uncertainty, in the 30 years since Mark’s first foray into Bullwinkle’s, he’s become an advocate and activist for HIV/AIDS in too many ways to count. He was one of The Damien Center’s original “buddies,” a role in which he was paired up with HIV+ individuals to build friendships and develop a support system. More on that later. He also went on to work for Indiana Community AIDS Action Network and AIDServe Indiana and continues to support The Damien Center today. Though Bullwinkle’s closed its doors in 2006, the significance of Mark’s work in fighting HIV/AIDS and supporting those affected by it lives on.

My Name is Earl ... Conner.

Earl Conner: retired Episcopalian minister and committed AIDS activist. Not the namesake of The Damien Center—we'll get to that in a minute—but the man behind what has become Indiana's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization. In the mid-1980s, when HIV and AIDS were still murky, scary, concepts, Earl stepped up to fight the spread of this deadly disease in his community. His alarm at the growing AIDS crisis in Indianapolis led him to seek a coordinated community response by uniting existing groups within one facility. With support from Christ Church Cathedral, an Episcopal church, and the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul, a Catholic church, Earl established the Damien Center in an empty and forgotten archdiocese building in April of 1987.


Earl's friend Evelyn describes those first few months of planning and opening The Damien Center in this post. Though founded as an inter-faith collaboration, The Damien Center is now a fully independent, non-sectarian, not-for-profit public corporation, and Earl's vision for Indianapolis has, in 25 years, saved thousands of lives and enriched thousands more. The Damien Center is now a leader in HIV prevention, education, awareness, and advocacy. In 2011 alone, we served 1,126 clients through care coordination and administered 2,412 free HIV tests.

So where does The Damien Center's name come from? The Center is named after the Blessed Father Damien, a Belgian Catholic priest famed for his compassionate care for those affected by Hansen's Disease, or leprosy, on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Fr. Damien battled the religious and societal rejection of those living with the disease, choosing to live with and among them in the Molokai "lepers' colony" from 1873 until his own death from Hansen's Disease in 1889. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II and became a saint in October of 2009.

His compassion and care, along with Earl Conner's vision, live on through the work we now do at The Damien Center.

Testing 123, Testing 123.

We know. Getting tested for HIV doesn't sound like too much fun. Luckily, it's also not too difficult, and thanks to our rapid HIV tests, it's not time-consuming either—you'll have your results within 20 minutes. No poking, no pricking—just a mouth swab and some quality time with one of our trained HIV tester-counselors.

Still sound a little scary? The awesome Teen Damien crew made this hilarious (but informative) video to prove that really, it's not. What it is is something that can help prevent the spread of HIV and STDs in our community.

Check it out and then stop by our testing center for a free and confidential test today.

Celebrate local artists. Prevent HIV.

At The Damien Center, we work hard to prevent the spread of HIV. But we also work hard to have fun while we're at it. This Saturday night, join us for Damienpalooza, a one-of-a-kind festival that will showcase local talent while building awareness around what HIV is and how we can all work toward an AIDS-free generation. 

 
For an easy $5, you'll take in local live music, dance, poetry, and original art while sipping on special Damienpalooza cocktails and learning what we do at The Damien Center. The historic Athenaeum Theatre will play host to this event, the first of its kind in our history. Here's a sneak peek at what's in store:

• Contemporary fine art from Kuaba Gallery
• Community partner tables and information
• Performances by lead Bonesetters musician Dan Snodgrass and local jazz combo The Jazz Men from Outer Space
• Choreography from Adrienne Jackson
• Spoken word by Charlene White
• A full-length work from new local dance company Create Freedom Dance Project 

You'll also hear from Damien Center staff and other advocates about how they work to prevent HIV and promote healthy lifestyles. Learn what you can do to prevent the spread of HIV in your community while supporting local artists, community partners, and The Damien Center.

Join us for Damienpalooza, this Saturday night from 6 to 10pm at The Athenaeum!

United Way Features The Damien Center Success Story!

One of our success stories was recently featured by the United Way of Central Indiana! Read on to rind out more.

United Way of Central Indiana helps people learn more, earn more and lead safe and healthy lives.
 This mission includes support of nearly 100 agencies whose programs contribute to one or more of UWCI’s priority outcomes, including: members of vulnerable populations coping with long-term or chronic diseases receive necessary non-medical support services and income is not a barrier to receiving qualified legal assistance in civil matters. The Damien Center, Inc. contributes to the achievement of these goals through education, counseling and care coordination for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.  Read how the agency helped one young woman not only cope with her disease, but also escape an abusive relationship, acquire her green card, and obtain employment and safe housing for herself and her children. In 2007, 23-year-old “Elizabeth” was referred to The Damien Center after the birth of her second child.  She had just learned she had contracted HIV from her boyfriend.  She felt lost, frightened and desperate. The father of her children was physically and emotionally abusive, but without legal citizenship, a job, insurance, or any other means of support, she was completely dependent on him. Elizabeth came to the U.S. from Zambia as a teenager on her father’s student visa.  The rest of her family had applied for permanent residency, but due to an error in the paperwork, Elizabeth was never included in that filing.  Now she was an adult and in the country illegally.  Confused, intimidated and more than a little fearful of the immigration process, she didn’t know where to go or how to go about applying for residency on her own.
 When she first met the man who would be the father of her children, she temporarily stopped worrying about her legal status.  However, their relationship soon turned abusive when her partner began to prey on her insecurities and total dependence on him.  The next few years turned a once strong-willed and outspoken young girl into a fearful, obedient woman punished by her boyfriend’s controlling nature and infidelities.  When Elizabeth learned she had HIV she was devastated.  She was terrified of being deported back to Africa where she would likely die and her children would be orphans.  She was determined not to let this happen. At The Damien Center, Elizabeth was enrolled in their Care Coordination program which provides intensive case management for people with HIV/AIDS.  They first helped her obtain rental assistance through HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS) so she could escape the tyranny of her boyfriend.  They also connected her with free legal services to stop his harassment and control over her and her children.  They helped her obtain insurance so she could obtain life-saving medication for her HIV and health care for her children.
 Elizabeth’s care coordinator researched the process of applying for legal citizenship and connected her with another United Way agency, Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, where she received the legal assistance needed to obtain her green card so she could work to support her family.  Her care coordinator referred her to vocational rehabilitation services and provided her with bus passes so she could get to interviews and medical appointments. That frightened young mother is now a legal U.S. resident with two happy children who will never know how hard their mother has worked to provide a good life for them.  Elizabeth has since received her green card, been granted permanent residency status, was approved for an extension of her housing assistance, secured a job, and receives a child care voucher from FSSA. Although hers has been a long journey littered with hardships, Elizabeth credits The Damien Center with giving her hope and confidence in herself.  She now knows she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.  Elizabeth is a determined, empowered and soon to be fully self-sufficient individual whose life has been greatly impacted by The Damien Center. The Damien Center first received UWCI support through special “venture fund” grants beginning in 1991 until becoming a certified member agency in 1993.  UWCI has invested more than $5 million in the agency’s mission to provide a broad range of services and support to persons affected by HIV/AIDS.  This funding includes more than $1.3 million for capital projects, facilities maintenance and technology needs. (These monies are contributed specifically for such needs and do not come from the annual campaign.)  The agency’s current Community Fund allocation is $57,829. Addressing today's needs. Reducing tomorrow's.Web Site: www.uwci.org

25 Stories: Kim Johnson

Kim met Joe in 1974, and the next 28 years of their lives were a whirlwind of activities: anniversary parties, family deaths, building careers, and more.

In 2002, Kim fell ill with one disease after another. Shingles, panic attacks, coughing, a “type” of pneumonia…the list goes on. Eventually, Kim became hospitalized in September 2002, and doctors gave him an HIV test.

“Mr. Johnson, you have AIDS.”

With a CD4 count of 26 at diagnosis*, Kim’s family never expected him to leave the hospital – but Kim never thought about dying. Unfortunately, Joe wasn’t prepared to live his life without Kim, so he took his own life. When Kim left the hospital, it wasn’t because he was well; it was because there was a funeral.

The next two years were full of grief, doctors, starting medication, and learning everything he could about HIV/AIDS. In 2004, Kim’s friends flew him to New Mexico for a New Year’s Day brunch where Kim met John.

The two hit it off instantly, talking every day for a month. It was then that Kim divulged his HIV status. John said it was a non-issue; he knew how it was spread and how to prevent the virus’ spread. “He was in no way judgmental,” Kim remembers.

Eventually, John moved in with Kim in Indianapolis. To this day, they are a “discordant couple,” or a couple where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative. The disease doesn’t define their relationship.

Kim is currently the co-chair of The Damien Center's Client Services Committee and has been actively involved with the Ryan White Planning Council.

“My new mission now is to be more open, and to get out the message about HIV/AIDS.”

* A person’s CD4 count is how many CD4 cells a person has; these cells are the part of the immune system that HIV attacks. A person with a healthy immune system may have anything between 500 and 1600; a CD4 count under 200 qualifies a person for an AIDS diagnosis. A CD4 count of 0 is almost certain death.

25 Stories: Colin Hammar

Many people in Colin’s generation haven’t lost friends or family to HIV thanks to new treatment options that significantly prolong life. “That’s going to be one of the changing factors of the younger generation born in the mid-80s and onward.” The sociology grad student thinks that this, coupled with the fear and stigma associated with the disease, has made many people distance themselves from the issue.

Colin also feels that there may be a cultural HIV white-washing. Many people perceive HIV/AIDS as a gay disease; that stigma still exists, though the most affected populations are changing. HIV is often introduced as an STD like any other, and Colin is frustrated that many schools do not teach that some genders, sexualities, and demographics are more at-risk. Often, the social history isn’t taught until college. This doubled-edged sword means that all populations are reached, but at-risk populations are losing out by not highlighting the history or reality.

It’s these attitudes and beliefs that inspired Colin to make a difference and become active on college campuses; he often brings in speakers and does educational prevention outreach.

“My work in my graduate program and my research has let me grab my own personal experiences…to be the voice and perspective [for the disease], which is traditionally left out in a lot of academic circles.”




Share your story with us! Leave a comment or email Brenden Hudson at bhudson@damien.org.

25 Stories: Elaine Cox

Dr. Elaine Cox has been an HIV care provider for 16 years, specializing in pediatric HIV. She only planned to do it for a short time, but it quickly became her life’s work. She remembers when even doctors were afraid of people with HIV 16 years ago, and how end of life care was the only option.

“Our biggest sadness is when our patients leave pediatric care and go to the adult side – which is a great problem to have!” Dr. Cox says, smiling. With the current medications on the market for HIV, these children can go on to have a long, healthy life.

But Dr. Cox notes that though HIV is a medical disease, there’s an entire social aspect to it. “We do still see some bullying and ostracizing. We see some families where, if a family’s [HIV] status gets out, an apartment is suddenly no longer available.”

Despite the hardships, Dr. Cox knows that there’s hope. Her patients are going to college, getting scholarships, and doing very well. “They’re overcoming all sorts of obstacles!”

Like her patients, Dr. Cox is also conquering hurdles; to combat stigma and normalize HIV testing, she helped start a legislative effort to get prenatal HIV screenings for pregnant mothers. It passed.

Pausing to reflect on her work in the HIV community, she remembers thinking that being in the HIV field in the 1990s was just a phase in her career. “Sometimes, you fall into the best of things without ever knowing it.”


Share your story with us! Leave a comment or email Brenden Hudson at bhudson@damien.org.

Dining Out for Life Ambassadors

Dining Out for Life relies heavily on its Ambassadors - volunteers stationed at one of our many wonderful restaurants! It is important that every Ambassador attend a training - even if you've been an Ambassador before. We have some new, exciting parts of this event, and we don't want our Ambassadors to miss out! If you would like to help out with the largest restaurant event in Indianapolis, come to a training on:

Saturday, March 31 from 9-11

Tuesday, April 3 from 5:30 - 7:30

Tuesday, April 10 from 1-3 

Tuesday, April 10 from 5:30-7:30

Please RSVP by calling Traci at 317-632-0123 x2637or by emailing her at tjohnson@damien.org

25 Stories: Rob Bullock

Rob Bullock was a social security adjudicator in the early 90s; at the time, The Damien Center had just started. There were no social security benefits for people with HIV, so many people were denied.

Rob knew that people were dying, and that they needed care. He began looking through the 5,000 page operations manual to try and find the secondary diseases that would help get people living with HIV the benefits they needed.

Through his hard work, Rob earned a reputation in the community as an advocate for people with HIV. He was soon asked to work for The Damien Center in 1992, where he oversaw most client-related activities. School systems were under pressure from parents who did not want their children receiving safer sex messaging; instead, Rob and The Damien Center were asked to provide presentations so that the students would get the information that would one day save their lives.

Rob remembered how there was (and still is) cultural pressure for men in the Midwest to get married and have children. Many married men would contract HIV from discreet sex with other men, and then have unprotected sex with their wives – thus passing on the disease.

It’s much better now that HIV isn’t a death sentence, but it’s still out there. “I don’t think we hear the HIV message as much as we used to because it’s not as imminent,” said Rob. “People aren’t dying as quickly.”


Share your story with us! Leave a comment or email Brenden Hudson at bhudson@damien.org.

25 Stories: Evelyn Myers

Rev. Earl Connor retired in 1986, but Evelyn knew he was working on something from the hints he dropped. “AIDS.” “AZT.” “Test positive.” When Earl asked Evelyn about properties for sale, she had no idea that she was about to help found what would become Indiana’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization.

Earl opened The Damien Center in June 1987 in an empty archdiocese building. “When we started, the phone never rang. Nobody was there, and nobody knew much about us,” said Evelyn. To help spread the word, the Center hosted an open house; because of the stigma surrounding the disease at the time, they had no idea if they would be picketed or if anybody would come.

After the open house, Evelyn saw the cavernous building grow into a bustling place with furniture, volunteers, and clients, led by the hardworking reverend. Together with a team of volunteers and a handful of staff, The Damien Center became the first truly coordinated effort to care for people who had contracted HIV.

Apart from The Damien Center, Evelyn was a quiet champion for HIV, in her own humble way; when the disease was new, she noticed that people would avoid those living with HIV in church. To combat the ignorance, she decided to lead by example and be the first to take the Eucharist after people with HIV. “I would like you to think that I knew I was on the cutting edge and doing something that was unique,” she said. “But I didn’t. I was just helping out a friend.”


Share your story with us! Leave a comment or email Brenden Hudson at bhudson@damien.org.