"Wha
you mean yu work with AIDS people? Den yu
touch dem? Wid yu bare hands? Laahd."
This conversation, or variants of it, has
been repeated time and time again over the
last three years.
Yes
I work with persons that are infected and
affected by HIV/AIDS. I do so voluntarily,
proudly and with love. I do not just touch
them, I hug them openly and with feeling.
In December 1998 after the World AIDS day
activities in Jamaica I contacted Jamaica
AIDS Support (JAS) and asked how can I become
one of their volunteers. I was asked to come
in for a preliminary interview and then to
fill out an application form to become a FRIEND.
At first I was taken aback. Why were there
these obstacles before me? Why couldn't I
just walk in and start working with HIV/AIDS
positive persons? The interview and application
form however, rather than being deterrents
spurred me on to get involved and made me
realise that I had chosen the right organisation.
When I saw the application form I knew that
this organisation was not just interested
in having persons volunteer but they were
interested in caring volunteers who were sensitive
to the plight of persons living with AIDS.
Not only did they have their clients' welfare
at heart but also that of the volunteers,
recognising that caring for persons living
with AIDS can be a traumatising experience,
however rewarding. In keeping with this we
were invited to participate in their volunteer
training programme, which I have since dubbed
"Training for Life", prior to embarking
on our JAS experience. The training ensured
that we came face to face with our fears,
our hopes, our prejudices as they related
to working with someone who was terminally
ill, someone who had AIDS.
I
have been a volunteer with JAS since February
1999 through the FRIENDS program wherein I
am assigned to work with an individual (a
client) who is affected by or infected with
the HIV virus. The idea behind the programme
is to provide a "friend" with whom
they can talk in complete confidence, someone
who is there for them, oftentimes when no
one else is, and someone who is willing to
assist them with (simple) tasks which makes
their lives easier.
Shortly
after the "Training for Life" was
completed I was called in and assigned a client
who was at the time residing at the JAS hospice
Life. With much trepidation, one Saturday
afternoon I walked into the room of my client.
I found a relatively young woman, less than
ten years my senior, lying flat on her back,
almost completely immobilized. And I wondered
what am I going to say to her, how will we
communicate? My fears were unwarranted as
I soon found out, she was an expressive, vocal
person who loved to talk; she had an enquiring
mind that the scientist in me was able to
respond to immediately and to appreciate.
Before long we were chatting away like old
"friends". When it was time to go
I asked boldly "I hope you don't mind
if I hug you?" and I cringed when she
replied hesitantly, "Now, how should
I put this?" I sat there waiting for
her to tell me no it is not OK and wondering
how will I deal with someone, as a friend,
who I cannot physically reach out to. She
continued ever so softly, hesitantly, "The
first thing that is removed from us positive
persons is human touch. Is as if we are no
longer human." The tears welled in my
eyes immediately and I reached out instinctively
with my body, my mind and my soul and we hugged.
Afterwards
as I thought about that simple statement I
was grateful that there was an organisation
that had the foresight to put the person first,
to be sensitive about their emotional and
psychological needs and to institute the programme
in which they pair positive persons with volunteers
who could truly be their FRIEND.
My
relationship with my client moved from strength
to strength and we were able to discuss anything
and everything. She was always so concerned
about this disease. Not about its effect on
her, which one would expect, but about all
those persons who would needlessly contract
a preventable disease. We spoke about the
possibility of cures, but never for her, she
was more concerned about those to come, the
young. My friend taught me that when your
life was threatened in the way hers was, it
was more important to help others using your
life's lessons than to dwell on your own misfortunes.
I was distraught when she died but I was relieved
that she was at peace and would no longer
suffer with the pain, the depths of which
I cannot imagine, and that she could no longer
be hurt by society's insensitivity.
In
my work with JAS I visited the hospice Life
(that no longer exists) frequently and interacted
with many HIV-positive persons several of
whom have since passed on. I have gained much
from being there for these my friends and
I have learned a lot about the disease and
its toll on the physical, psychological and
emotional well being of those who suffer from
it. At every opportunity I have tried to pass
on this knowledge to non-affected persons
whether with family or friends, at work, in
church, etcetera. I have tried to attend and
participate in panel discussions and lectures
which will increase my understanding of HIV/AIDS
and how it affects our communities in order
that I may better serve my JAS clients as
well as to assist in my efforts in dissemination
of information. I believe that through my
informal discussions several persons have
become more aware of the status of the HIV
epidemic in Jamaica and may have become sensitised
to the plight of positive persons in our community
and some have even investigated what role
they can play.
I
hope to have another client soon, but in the
interim I continue to spread the word, I continue
to be an advocate for prevention, and I continue
to care for those who are positive who have
few to care for them.
