Hometown: Winton-Salem
Occupation: HIV/AIDS Advocate
What has the North Carolina AIDS Drug Assistance Program meant to you?
I’ve been on ADAP since 2008, and it has meant life support
for me and my children. It has enabled
me to be here today; it has been a huge financial support and a source of
stability and encouragement.
When I was first diagnosed I had no hope. I was
one of those who thought life was over the next day. I had no idea where I was
going to be able to find financial or medical support.
Once I was introduced to
ADAP I realized there was hope. It gave me courage to go out and help others
and teach others about these resources.
It gave my kids great hope as well; it
let them know help was on the way. A sick parent can’t raise a child, but ADAP
gave my kids a foundation to know that their mom was going to be okay.
It’s
important to preserve ADAP because our state will end up spending more money
burying those who die because they don’t have access to medicine and providing
foster care for the orphans left behind than they would on ADAP itself.
We need
to save lives, not take them. ADAP saves lives.
Interview by Blaire Benson
To take action to save the AIDS Drug Assistance Program from proposed budget cuts, send an email to your legislators now.
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