Tuesday, July 14, 2015

We've moved!

With the redesign of our website, damien.org  in April of 2015, we also moved this blog to the site for ease of use for our readers.

You can find now find us at damien.org/news

 Happy reading!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Three easy ways to give that don't cost you anything: Part 1

Friends, we have an important question. Do you do any of these things?
  • Use a credit card
  • Shop at Kroger
  • Buy things on Amazon
Yes? Us, too! Lucky us and lucky you, each of these just became a super easy way to give back to The Damien Center, and they won't cost you a penny. We know it's not always easy to give as much as you'd like to causes you care about, so read on for three easy ways to make your everyday spending a little more philanthropic!

Let's start with the credit card. We've recently developed a partnership with The EqualityCard Project, an organization that has created a unique tool to allow philanthropic-minded individuals and businesses to give back to organizations like ours that support equality for all individuals.

The EqualityCard™ Visa is a great way to support our mission, without any additional expense to you. Here's how it works: The EqualityCard™ is a traditional Visa credit card that donates an amount equal to 1% of all of the cardholder's purchases to the LGBT non-profit of their choice. There are no out-of-pocket costs for the cardholder, and no annual fee to use the card. 100% of the amount donated to us on your behalf is provided by The EqualityCard Project, and best of all, the donation is tax deductible for you!

If you own a business, the corporate version of the EqualityCard™ allows you to generate similar donations to support our organization, without affecting profitability. EqualityCards™ can be issued to any number of your employees, for the routine purchases that they make on behalf of your business every day. Business owners, we hope you'll consider giving to The Damien Center through the EqualityCard™ Corporate Giving Program.

Best of all, The EqualityCard™ Visa is easy to set up and operates like other standard credit cards. We'd love for you to check out our partnership. Consider applying for an EqualityCard™ and designating The Damien Center as the beneficiary for your donations. You can do that by visiting the EqualityCard™ website at www.equalitycardproject.com and using our invitation code: 2053.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 - more easy ways to give that don't cost you a penny!

Monday, January 12, 2015

Is PrEP right for you?

At The Damien Center, we're always looking for new tools to add to our HIV prevention toolbox. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of those tools. It's the new(er) kid on the HIV block, and we want you to be informed about what it is it, how it works, and if it might be the right prevention tool for you. The best way to figure that out? Check out our Q & A below and contact us today to keep the conversation about PrEP going. Jeremy Turner, our Director of Supportive Services, is available at 317.632.0123 ext. 254 or jturner@damien.org.

What is PrEP?
PrEP is a new HIV prevention approach where HIV-negative individuals use HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy) medications to reduce their risk of becoming infected if they are exposed to the virus. The medications work to prevent HIV from establishing infection inside the body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Truvada, an HIV medication, for PrEP use in 2012.

Who does PrEP work for?
PrEP has been shown to reduce risk of HIV infection through sex for gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and heterosexual men and women, as well as among people who inject drugs. PrEP has been shown to help reduce HIV infection risk in multiple studies, including the iPrEx trial, Partners PrEP, TDF2, and the Bangkok Tenofovir Study.

How well does PrEP work?
Truvada for PrEP provides a significant reduction in HIV risk for HIV-negative individuals who take the pills every day as directed. If a daily dose is missed, the level of HIV protection may decrease. It only works if you take it. People who use PrEP correctly and consistently have higher levels of protection against HIV. It does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STI) or pregnancy and should still be used in conjunction with condoms. It is not a cure for HIV.

Is PrEP right for me?
PrEP may be right for you if you have a partner or partners known to be HIV-1 infected OR are a gay, bisexual, or other man who has sex with men in a high HIV prevalence area or social network and has one or more of the following conditions: a diagnosis of a bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the last year; exposure to an STI through a sexual network in the last year; 10 or more sexual partners in the last year; used methamphetamine in the last year; or had unprotected anal intercourse with a partner of unknown HIV-1 status with any of the factors listed above.

I think PrEP might be right for me. What's next?
If you’re interested in learning more on how to access PrEP, contact Jeremy Turner, Damien Center Director of Supportive Services, at 317.632.0123 ext. 254 or jturner@damien.org, or ask your physician about PrEP.