HeAlTH INFormATioN & VieWs - CD8 T cells - The Body

ILLUSTRATION: KELLY SchYKULSKI
EDITOR’S LETTER
Many threads weave art and AIDS together, creating a tapestry
over the past 30 years of the epidemic. The early
epidemic hit Canada’s art community particularly hard,
leaving threadbare spots filled with fear, despair and sadness.
Later, as medical treatments improved, richness
returned to the tapestry as HIV-positive artists channelled
their energies into creating works that reflect the current
realities of living with the virus. I am particularly excited to
present a story that explores this tapestry and shares the
lives and art of four HIV-positive Canadian artists. Reading
“The Big Picture” opened my eyes to a world of beauty and
power. I hope it does the same for you.
The other two feature articles in this issue complement
the artistic with the medical and the social. We look at some
of the factors to consider before starting HIV treatment in
“On Your Mark, Get Set, StART.” In “Treatment Benefits for
All?” we explore some broader social implications of our
growing understanding that being on HIV treatment can
lower the risk of HIV transmission.
Finally, our regular columns bring the much-loved mix
of humour, info and inspiration. Programs for Aboriginal
people living with HIV are highlighted in From the Front
Lines. Chatty CATIE probes people about their pets—and
they don’t hold back. Ask the Experts offers help with
peripheral neuropathy. We also get inspired by lawyer and
activist Jeff Keller and artist Andrew McPhail.
We hope you enjoy the variety assembled in this issue. It’s
a great reminder that life with HIV is its own rich tapestry.
—David McLay
Correction: In “A Hard Day’s Work” in the Winter 2012
issue, we stated that the only job in Canada that HIVpositive
people are not permitted to do is that of emergency
medical technician. In fact, this exclusion varies across the
country. For example, it applies in Ontario, but Alberta has
no guidelines around HIV status and this occupation.
www.positiveside.ca
Summer 2012
Volume 14 Issue 2
Publisher:
CATIE
505-555 Richmond St W
Toronto ON M5V 3B1
Canada
© 2012, CATIE (Canadian
AIDS Treatment Information
Exchange).
All rights reserved.
ISSN: 1191-9809 Publications
Agreement Number 1707361
Editor-in-chief
David McLay
Managing Editor
Debbie Koenig
Editors
Anna Kohn, RonniLyn Pustil
Contributors
Ann Silversides, Beverly
Deutsch, Darien Taylor,
Derek Thaczuk, Diane Peters,
Jennifer McPhee, Maggie
Atkinson, Melissa Egan,
Sean Hosein, Tim Rogers
Creative Direction
and Design
David Vereschagin,
Quadrat Communications
Cover Image
Stephen Andrews,
photographed by John Phillips
Get a free subscription to The Positive Side by visiting www.positiveside.ca
or calling 1.800.263.1638.
INSIDE
From the Front lines
Programs for Aboriginal people with HIV 4
Chatty CATie
5 PHAs show off their pets 6
Profile
All Jeff Keller wants is a little respect for PHAs 8
From injection to infection
Why your dentist needs to know
about your facial fillers 11
Treatment Benefits for All?
Do the personal and public health benefits of 12
treatment as prevention coincide or clash?
The Big Picture
4 HIV-positive Canadian artists paint 16
a picture of the epidemic
on Your mark, Get set, stArT
Gearing up to start HIV treatment 22
Ask the experts
Tips for PHAs with peripheral neuropathy 26
Art Posi+ive
Visual artist Andrew McPhail 28
visual AiDs
Standard of caring
30
Summer 2012 THE POSITIVE SIDE
3