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Monthly E-Newsletter
for
August
2009
Dear Friends,
Want to make our community better? Want to
make a difference? Want to share your skills? Want to learn
and grow? Want to understand the needs and opportunities of
TIHAN? Want to meet amazing and inspiring people and grow your
faith?
We hope you enjoy reading this latest news
from TIHAN, and discover at least one way you can help and get
involved.
—Scott Blades, Executive Director
1. Make A Wish Come True:
Our Summer Wish List
2. Test Your Knowledge of
HIV―Test Question of the Month: Are There Some Common
Characteristics that Long-Term Survivors of HIV Have in
Common?
3. TIHAN in the News:
Arizona Daily Star Article Features Link Specialist
Volunteers!
4. Free Education
Seminar: Seniors and HIV
5. Reminder: Reduced
Office Hours / Staff Furlough Due to Reduced Donations
6.
What is Your Faith Community Doing About HIV/AIDS?
7. Save the Date!
8. Do Something!
9. Teach Others About
HIV/AIDS and TIHAN's Compassionate Response
10. Put On Your Walking
Shoes
11. Non-Profit Thrift
Store Needs Volunteers (and TIHAN Benefits!)
1. Make A Wish Come True: Our Summer Wish
List
#1 Priority Need for Summer: cash donations to support the
ongoing programs and services of TIHAN. Cash donations are our
priority—to keep our operations running during the summer
months when donations traditionally slow down.
Secondly, we have volunteer needs. Our current priorities
include:
- Human Resources Committee member (must have HR experience)
- Event volunteers to help coordinate fundraising events
- Grant research and writing volunteers (experienced
preferred)
- Link Specialist volunteers
- Handyperson to build shelving
- Volunteer to create a manual for our volunteer
receptionists
- Trained public speakers
- Hosts for dinner parties in support of TIHAN
Thirdly, there are a few items that we need. Our current
priorities for in-kind items:
- Long distance telephone calling card
- Fans, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers,
blenders, crock pots
- Reams or cases of
letter-size (8.5 x 11) paper (white or color)
Toiletry items for care packages for our CarePartners
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2. Test Your Knowledge of
HIV?―Test
Question of the Month: Are There Some Common Characteristics
that Long-Term Survivors of HIV Have in Common?
Question: Are There Common
Characteristics that Long-Term Survivors of HIV Have in
Common?
Answer: Yes, there are some
common characteristics that many long-term survivors of HIV
have in common. (See article below from www.TheBody.com
for information about those characteristics.) A growing body
of evidence demonstrates that such factors as depression,
stress, isolation, stigma, and grief have an impact upon
immune function.
While many believe strongly in the
mind-body connection, some do not. And it would be terrible
for someone to recommend you can ignore medical treatment and
"think your way to health." We've all known
fantastic positive people who did everything they could to
have a positive outlook on life and take care of themselves,
but the virus continued to impact their immune system and they
passed on. It's not always clear cut.
However, AIDS activist Michael Callen
once wrote that "it simply makes sense to try to mobilize
whatever immune-enhancing effects might flow from marshaling
the mind." But he also cautioned: "On the other
hand, I'm troubled by those who believe that attitude is all—that
the search for drugs isn't really necessary because if only
you love yourself enough, you can will AIDS away. This seems
to me to be a dangerous oversimplification of available
evidence."
If you are living with HIV or are
supporting a loved one who is HIV+, it's important to
recognize that the value of being surrounded by healthy
supportive friends and family cannot be minimized. Do your
best to explore medical options for wellness, as well as
explore the spiritual and psychological and social components
that can contribute to wellness too.
Eight Characteristics of
Long-Term Survivors of HIV/AIDS
Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
July 6, 2009
Hey everybody. At the beginning of
June I volunteered for THRIVE! -- a one-day educational and
empowerment workshop in Atlanta for people living with HIV. I
love doing this workshop and think that it is a valuable guide
for people on living a long life with HIV.
At THRIVE! I do a workshop called
"THRIVING with HIV." It is based on a 1987 research
study conducted by Dr. George Solomon and Dr. Lydia Temoshok
on how the mind and emotions impact the immune system. The
purpose of their study was to understand how "long-term
survivors" of HIV are different from people who follow
the expected course of HIV disease. Through their research
they were able to identify eight characteristics among
long-term survivors of HIV.
The eight characteristics are:
- They are realistic and accept
their diagnosis and do not take it as a death sentence.
- They have a fighting spirit and
refuse to be helpless/hopeless.
- They have changed lifestyles.
- They are assertive and have the
ability to get out of stressful and unproductive
situations.
- They are tuned into their own
psychological and physical needs -- and they take care of
them.
- They are able to talk openly
about their illness.
- They have a sense of personal
responsibility for their health, and look at the treating
health care provider as a collaborator.
- They are altruistically
involved with other persons with HIV.
After presenting the workshop, I
started thinking about my friends who have lived long with
HIV. They are all unique long-term "thrivers" and I
wondered if they had any of the characteristics that the
researchers identified. I decided to sit down with a few of
them and ask them, "Why do you think you have lived so
long and well with HIV?" I talked with Chris, Eva, and
George and was amazed at the similarities between their lives
and the characteristics identified by the researchers.
(Click
here for Terri's
interviews with people living with HIV)
I hope you enjoy this blog and are
able to use the information as a springboard to not only
create a quality life ... but a long life as well!
Peace,
Terri
(To contact Terri L.
Wilder, MSW, email her at twilder@thebody.com)
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3. TIHAN in the News:
Arizona Daily Star Article Features Link Specialist Volunteers!
TIHAN and our mission continue to be of
great interest to the community. Recently, TIHAN's work was featured
on KGUN9 news, Fox 11 News, and an extensive article in the Arizona
Daily Star:
"Sharing compassion for those with
HIV/AIDS: TIHAN volunteers help educate and provide resources for
CarePartners" highlighting Link Specialists Pat Small and
Michael Kling
Arizona Daily Star - Saturday, August 8
Click here to read the article about TIHAN: http://www.azstarnet.com/altds/pastframe/
metro/304109 .
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4. Free Education Seminar:
Seniors and HIV
Join us for the next Continuing Education
workshop on Seniors and HIV. The workshop will be Thursday,
September 10, 6:00-8:00pm at SAAF, 375 S. Euclid (south of
Broadway). Call 299-6647 sign up! TIHAN—in collaboration with SAAF—continues
to offer FREE Continuing
Education workshops to volunteers.
Registration is appreciated but not
required. We ask all volunteers to attend at least three workshops
each year to stay up-to-date. All workshops are subject to change.
| Date |
Topic |
Location |
| Oct
1 |
Low
Income
& HIV |
TIHAN |
| Nov
5 |
HIV
& Special
Populations |
TIHAN |
| Dec
3 |
HIV
& Refugees |
SAAF |
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5. Reminder: Reduced Office Hours / Staff
Furlough Due to Reduced Donations
Due
to reduced donations to TIHAN and the resulting reductions in
staffing, the TIHAN office will be closed on Friday afternoons,
until further notice. The office will be open Monday-Thursday
8:30am-4:30pm, and Fridays 8:30am-12:30pm. We greatly apologize
for any inconvenience that this may cause, and we hope this 10%
furlough of staff hours will be only temporary in nature.
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6. What is Your Faith Community Doing
About HIV/AIDS?
Does your faith community have an action plan of what they
want to do to be part of the solution to the HIV/AIDS crisis?
TIHAN faith communities are asked to create a plan regarding
their hopes for the year (hosting AIDS awareness/education
programs, recruiting volunteers, sponsoring a Poz Cafe,
providing space for events, having a sermon about AIDS,
distributing red ribbons, sponsoring a benefit to raise funds
for TIHAN programs, etc).
Does your faith community have a plan, and are you able to
help make it happen? Or would you like to help create a plan for
your congregation's response? Call us and let us know—299-6647
and speak with Scott Blades, Executive Director.
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7. Save the Date!
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD)
will be commemorated in Tucson on Thursday, October 15, 2009. Stay
tuned for more info. NLAAD is FREE and open to all.
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8. Do Something!
"Past the beggar and the suffering walks he who asks,
'Why, oh God, do you not do something for these people?' To
which God replied, 'I did something, I made you.'"
―Sufi saying
Attending Care & Support Training may help you discover
your purpose!
The next Care
& Support Training, now done collaboratively with TIHAN
and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), will be held on
Saturday, September 26 from 9:00am to 5:00pm at the TIHAN
offices, 1011 North Craycroft Road, #301. Training is now FREE
and TIHAN
Volunteer Orientation is a pre-requisite. Call the TIHAN
office, 299-6647, to sign up.
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9. Teach Others About HIV/AIDS and
TIHAN's Compassionate Response
Learn the facts of HIV/AIDS at the next
TIHAN Speakers' and Media Training. Teach others what they need to
know to end discrimination against people living with HIV and stop
the spread of the virus. Give presentations to volunteers and faith
community members to increase compassion and decrease stigma for
HIV/AIDS. All you have to do is attend TIHAN Volunteer
Orientation and Speakers'
Training, stay up-to-date on HIV/AIDS information, and be
friendly, outgoing, and reliable.
Our next Speakers' Training is Saturday,
September 12, 9:00am to 5:00pm at TIHAN, 1011 North Craycroft Road
#301. You will learn to share the facts about the disease and share
your own story of being affected by HIV/AIDS. The training is $17
and scholarships are available. Please RSVP by calling 299-6647. You
can contact Ari Kelly, ari@tihan.org
or 299-6647, with questions.
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10. Put On Your Walking Shoes
Save the Date! AIDSWALK, to benefit the
Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), is Sunday, October 11, 2009
on the University of Arizona Campus. 5K Walk and 10K Fun Run. Visit http://www.aidswalktucson.org/
for more info. (Please note that SAAF is not having TIHAN do an
interfaith service on the morning of AIDSWalk this year.)
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11. Non-Profit Thrift Store Needs
Volunteers (and TIHAN Benefits!)
1st-Rate
2nd-Hand Thrift Store is a nonprofit thrift store, and proceeds
help support the community programs that are chosen as beneficiaries
by the volunteers who help with the thrift store. Want to volunteer
a few hours to help at the thrift store, and then designate TIHAN to
receive some of the funds raised? Contact Patty at (520) 327-5252
and tell her you're volunteering on behalf of TIHAN, or contact
Scott at scott@tihan.org.
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