Go see Naked Boys Singing and support The Damien Center!

Indy's favorite off-kilter venue, Theatre on the Square, has done it again. Naked Boys Singing, their latest show, delivers hilarity, gratuitous nudity, and, surprisingly, a few heartwarming moments. The best part? The theater is offering up one very special show to benefit none other than yours truly, The Damien Center! You're not going to want to miss this. Why? Here are a few reasons.

1. 100% of your ticket purchase for this special show goes back to The Damien Center. TOTS put together this additional show just for us, so you'll feel all warm and fuzzy knowing your attendance at a nude musical is supporting a cause you care about.

2. Asia's in the house. Special guest Asia LaBouche will be hosting the evening, so buckle up, and for goodness sakes, get your tickets! The eternally fabulous Asia spends most of her Friday nights as a Lady of Legend at Talbott Street Show Lounge, so this is an extra special appearance. Now why would you want to miss that?

3. It's the perfect girls (or guys!) night out. According to Indiana Bride Magazine, NBS would make for the perfect bachelorette party, but we think it goes beyond that. As long as you're with friends you can laugh with, this show is sure to turn your Friday night upside down. 

4. These guys care about performing and want you to have a good time. When's the last time you went to a show where the actors are willing to bare it all for the sake of the stage? The guys in this show are in it for the love of performing. The Indy Star says they want you laugh, connect, and have a great night. So do it already!  

5. Naked. Boys. Singing. Emphasis on the singing. Seriously, these guys have pipes. It's a fun musical revue, and whether it's in the nude or in enough clothes to make you say "Look at me, I'm Chandler! Could I BE wearing any more clothes?" you'll love the fabulous vocals from start to finish.

Have we convinced you yet? Here are the details for when you're ready to get those tickets. See you there!

• Naked Boys Singing Damien Center Benefit Show
• Friday, February 15, 10pm show
• Tickets: Call 685-TOTS or purchase tickets online
• Like TOTS on Facebook for updates!

Tomorrow is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Tomorrow is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and here's the reality: of all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, HIV/AIDS affects Blacks the most. In 2009, an estimated 16,741 Blacks were diagnosed with AIDS in the U.S. By the end of 2008, an estimated 240,627 Blacks with an AIDS diagnosis had died in the US. In 2007, HIV was the ninth leading cause of death for all Blacks and the third leading cause of death for both Black men and Black women aged 35–44.

Listening yet? National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is one way we, as members of a community working toward an AIDS-free generation, can start doing something about these statistics. NBHAAD started as a grassroots effort to bring awareness to the severity of what HIV/AIDS and has grown into a nationwide effort to encourage people to get educated, get tested, get involved, and get treated.

While the number of new HIV infections per year among Blacks is down from its peak in the late 1980s, it still has exceeded the number of infections among whites since that time. Even more startling, at some point in their lifetimes, one in 16 Black men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will one in 32 Black women.

Having a better idea of how significant the HIV/AIDS epidemic is among the Black population in the U.S. sheds some light on why we should be addressing it. And the good thing is, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day makes it easy to get involved. Here are a few ways you can connect with NBHAAD and show your support:

• blackaidsday.org
• @NatBlackAIDSDay
• #NBHAAD
• NBHAAD on Facebook
• NBHAAD on YouTube

So send a tweet, post a comment, or just follow along with the conversation. Knowledge is power!

Calling all Ambassadors!

Are you ready to make one meal matter? During Dining Out for Life 2013, area restaurants will donate 25-100% of their day's sales to support The Damien Center and hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS right here in our community. 

With Dining Out for Life closing in on less than three months away, we're gearing up for the main event around here. Restaurants are signing up, sponsors are hopping on board, posters are being designed--the fundraising and marketing team is abuzz with anticipation over what's sure to be our best Dining Out yet.
 
Why do we say that? Well, last year, Indy's largest dining fundraiser (that's us, Dining Out for Life) raised $68,000, an incredible number that resulted from the commitment of 40+ restaurants, dozens of volunteers, and thousands of diners who went out on the town to fight AIDS. This year, our 19th Dining Out for Life locally, we hope to top that number. More restaurants, more volunteers, and more diners all add up to increased support for our clients and the services we offer. Ambassadors play a key role in helping to make Dining Out for Life a success and in raising money to support Damien Center clients and services.

So what's an Ambassador's commitment? You'll help us promote the event, build our relationship with your assigned restaurant, prepare the restaurant for success by delivering materials to them, and make the Dining Out for Life night especially meaningful for diners and the restaurant. In total, your commitment will consist of a four- to five-hour restaurant shift on April 25, one two-hour training, and time spent promoting your restaurant during the month of April.

Currently, our Ambassador Trainings will take place on the following dates, but if you'd like to volunteer and can't make one of these work, we'd like to work with you on additional sessions.

• Saturday, March 30, 2013; 10am-12pm
• Wednesday, April 3, 2013; 10am-12 pm
• Wednesday, April 3, 2013; 6pm-8pm
• Tuesday, April 9, 2013; 6pm-8 pm

This is your chance to get out in the community at your favorite restaurants and spread the word about an organization and a cause you care about! Don't worry, we'll make sure you're prepared. At your (required) Ambassador Training, you'll learn you how to promote your restaurants, receive talking points for the evening, and get all the promotional materials you'll need to get started. Ready to sign up? Just fill out our easy online form or download and return the paper version and we'll be in touch with event details.

Please help us make sure that no one faces AIDS alone by Dining Out for Life!

Back to Basics: HIV 101

There are certain things that we know about HIV that we hold close and turn to for support when we advocate for our cause. For example, here in Indiana, we know that 10,000 people are living with HIV, and that roughly half of those people are right here in Marion County. The CDC also tells us that one in five people (an astonishing 20%) who are living with HIV don't even know they're infected. Powerful statistics, no doubt. But let's get back to something even more basic, something that can help us all understand what we're fighting for and why we care about this issue. What is HIV, and what is AIDS?

Thanks to AIDS.gov, an official U.S. Government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, we've got an easy breakdown of answers to these questions.  (Just to be clear, the content below belongs to AIDS.gov. Please see .aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/ for more great resources and information on HIV.)

***

First, what is HIV?

To understand what HIV is, let’s break it down:

H – Human – This particular virus can only infect human beings.
I – Immunodeficiency – HIV weakens your immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you.
V – Virus – A virus can only reproduce itself by taking over a cell in the body of its host.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a lot like other viruses, including those that cause the flu or the common cold. But there is an important difference – over time, your immune system can clear most viruses out of your body. That isn't the case with HIV – the human immune system can't seem to get rid of it. Scientists are still trying to figure out why.

We know that HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and that it attacks a key part of your immune system – your T-cells or CD4 cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them, uses them to make more copies of itself, and then destroys them.
Over time, HIV can destroy so many of your CD4 cells that your body can't fight infections and diseases anymore. When that happens, HIV infection can lead to AIDS.

Got it. So, what is AIDS?

To understand what AIDS is, let’s break that down, too:

A – Acquired – AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. You acquire AIDS after birth.
I – Immuno – Your body's immune system includes all the organs and cells that work to fight off infection or disease.
D – Deficiency – You get AIDS when your immune system is "deficient," or isn't working the way it should.
S – Syndrome – A syndrome is a collection of symptoms and signs of disease. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness with a wide range of complications and symptoms.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is the final stage of HIV infection. People at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections (OIs).
You will be diagnosed with AIDS if you have one or more specific OIs, certain cancers, or a very low number of CD4 cells. If you have AIDS, you will need medical intervention to prevent death.

For more information, see CDC’s Basic Information About HIV And AIDS.

***

We'll pick this topic up again in a few weeks to talk about how HIV works in our bodies, how it's transmitted, and other important basics. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself and others, care for those who need support, and rally around the fight to end AIDS in our community.  

It's National Pizza Week!

Remember when Congress (almost) declared pizza a vegetable? Okay, okay, we know that's not really what happened, but in light of the controversy and the fact that it's National Pizza Week, we got to thinking about food, nutrition, and what all that has to do with The Damien Center.

Meeting basic nutritional needs is critical for our HIV+ clients, but with the high cost of medication, many people living with HIV can’t afford nutritious food. Having a balanced diet with essential macronutrients, calories, and micronutrients can greatly impact the body’s ability to fight disease—especially a relentless disease like HIV. Pile on top of that the difficulties of finding transportation, stable housing, a job, and so forth, and you can see why nutrition is an important piece of the puzzle for people managing HIV in their lives.

One part of the solution is our on-site food pantry, which is a licensed grocery. Coupled with nutritional support, our food pantry helps people living with HIV meet their unique needs. We strive to keep our selection diverse and nutritious, so in addition to non-perishables, we also supply fresh vegetables and meats to maximize our healthy eating options.

Hygiene is another piece of the puzzle. Good hygiene minimizes the risk and spread of disease and infection; because HIV compromizes the immune system, stopping secondary infections is an important part of what we do. To support good hygiene, our pantry also provides items like soap and laundry detergent that are not covered by food stamps.

So while we don't serve up pizza to food pantry patrons, we do try our best to support healthy eating and nutritious choices for our clients. Interested in supporting the food pantry? Check out some of our current needs and consider raiding your cabinets for a donation.

25 Stories: The Next 25

25 years. 25 stories. Throughout 2012, our 25th year of service to Central Indiana, we turned our blog into a virtual melting pot of stories about HIV. We told you about Rob, who worked tirelessly to help people with HIV get the medical care they needed, and Evelyn, who was there with Earl Conner when he decided to dive head first into the AIDS epidemic by opening The Damien Center. You read about Mark, one of The Damien Center's original buddies and a lifelong HIV advocate, and Dr. Woody Myers, who stood by Ryan White's side and fought the stigma associated with HIV in the mid-1980s right here in our community. We shared stories from Charles, Elizabeth, Robert, David, and a dozen more people who, in some way or another, have been affected by HIV.

Well friends, we've got a confession to make. We only shared 24 stories with you. No, we didn't get lazy or forget. We were saving it. For you. For all of us. Number 25 is something more - something collective and holistic. It's about what we're doing now that's moving us into the future, toward an AIDS-free generation and toward healthier, happier lives for those already living with HIV.

Our grande finale, story 25, is about linking people to the care they need, like mental health and substance abuse counseling, housing assistance, a food pantry, free HIV testing, and Care Coordination—services that actually help lower the HIV viral load of our clients, improve their health, and make them less likely to transmit HIV to others. We think that's a story worth telling.

It's 2013 now, and we don't know about you, but we're chomping at the bit to see what the next 25 years will hold. We're ready to dream big, work hard, and make more history. Our 25th story is only just getting started. Will you join us?

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.