Welcome 2021! We are so grateful you are here, with new hope and new possibilities. With the support of donors and volunteers, we provided services to a record number of people living with HIV in 2020. Together with you, we’re working to make the best of 2021.
Here are a few news flashes with important info, events, and opportunities for those of us who care so much, along with a profile of Tim, one of our CarePartners living with HIV! Please take a moment now and peruse!
Scott Blades
Executive Director
Quick Links to This Month’s Articles
- TIHAN Is Honored with Award for “Nonprofit Organization Excellence” from Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- Staying Positive, Tim Says We Can Get Through It, Together
- We’re Running Low on Paper Products to Include in Our CarePackages – Can You Help?
- Recruiting for a Few Key Volunteer Roles
- Volunteers Needed for TIHAN’s February Folding Party!
- Help Us Stay Connected to YOU!
- Reminder About Policy on Pets and Service Animals
- COVID Updates, Testing, and Vaccines
TIHAN Is Honored with Award for “Nonprofit Organization Excellence” from Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce
TIHAN is honored to receive the 2020 Award for Nonprofit Organization Excellence from the Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Chamber president John Jackson-Moyer presented the award to TIHAN, and Executive Director Scott Blades accepted the award on behalf of the fantastic staff, board of directors, volunteers, partner businesses and faith communities, donors, nonprofit partners, and the HIV community we serve.
“2020 was the most challenging year in our 26-year history as we strived to hear, understand, and respond to the needs of our community members while keeping everyone safe and supported as much as possible. We are proud of our team for providing new and innovative support services to more people living with HIV than ever, under the extremely challenging circumstances of the pandemic. Thank you all for responding with such love,” Scott commented. “We are grateful to the Chamber for recognizing our contributions, and for all of our network for supporting and promoting a strong, successful, and engaged community where all have an opportunity to thrive.” For more information about the Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce, visit https://tucsonlgbtchamber.org
Staying Positive, Tim Says We Can Get Through It, Together
“Together, we can get through it. We have to stay positive, reach out for support, and keep going as best we can.”
That can-do attitude, fueled in part by his Midwestern upbringing in Kansas, has helped Tim through some tough times—in the early days of AIDS as well as through his recent health challenges. He’s been living with HIV now for 35 years.
In the past five months, Tim has had a cancer diagnosis, and had to experience the amputation of a toe. His neuropathy (caused by his HIV and HIV meds) continues, something that has been giving him severe pain in his hands and feet for many years. He’s got COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). And he’s especially concerned about contracting COVID-19. “I’m scared to death of COVID, because I feel if I get it, I will be a goner,” he says.
Tim’s honest that he’s experienced some depression over the past five months with all of these health challenges that started last September.
“I fell and hit my head on a cabinet and I fainted,” he shares. “I had a big gash on my head, so they took me to the hospital. They were concerned about a possible brain bleed, so they transferred me to another hospital for more evaluation. In checking me out for bleeding on my brain, they noticed a nodule on my lung, and did a biopsy that came back and indicated I had cancer. The next week, I had a cut on my foot, but I didn’t feel it because of the neuropathy. I was experiencing fever and the doctors were concerned I had COVID, until we realized I had an infection from my foot that we didn’t know about. I wasn’t getting any blood flow, and I got an infection that they couldn’t treat. We were having to make a decision to either amputate my toe, or wait and possibly have my entire foot amputated. I did wonder if maybe I was ‘done’ with life with all of that going on. The depression did get to me.”
Fortunately, Tim’s support system kicked in. “My husband Steve has been such a huge support, and support from some family and friends and folks at TIHAN and the VA have helped me realize I can keep going, and I am going to keep fighting, keep staying positive. I might need to cry for a bit, but then I can try to shake it off. I’m on immunotherapy for the cancer, home visits for treatments three times a week, and my first scan is coming up soon, so we’ll see how that’s working. I’ve got lots of doctor appointments coming up. But I’m staying positive.”
Tim’s got a history of being resilient. Military service. Divorce after a five-year marriage when he was in his twenties. Realizing eventually that he was gay—in the early 1980s just as AIDS was striking the community. “I was a bartender in Dallas. I watched so many friends and acquaintances die of AIDS, and it was so scary. In 1985, my boyfriend got sick and tested positive for HIV, so I went to get tested, too. September 1985: I tested positive.” The community of gay men in Dallas was decimated by AIDS, and it was overwhelming. “We moved to Seattle to escape so much death, but after about a year, AIDS took its toll there, too. We couldn’t escape the grief.”
Tim started on the first AIDS medication AZT and, unlike most people taking it, experienced no side effects. Over the years, Tim’s T-cells have hovered between 200 and 400. He says he’s been on every HIV medication that has come out over the years, and surprisingly with minimal immediate side effects, although neuropathy and avascular necrosis, both longer term side effects from HIV and HIV meds, have caused pain–and two hip replacements. Still, with good medical care and a strong support system, Tim’s made it through.
He says his biggest support system is his husband Steve. They met a few days after New Year’s Day 2001, and hit it off immediately. When Tim disclosed his HIV status to Steve, he was relieved to find out that they have that in common. They’ve been together ever since, and had a civil union on their 5th anniversary. In 2016, they were legally married, and earlier this month they celebrated their 20th anniversary together!
Coming out in the 1980s during a time of protest and anger in the early days of AIDS, Tim says he’s always been active in the gay community and has always felt safe and supported. “Some people assumed since I am gay that I have HIV too, and that’s ok. It really doesn’t matter to me what people think,” he shares.
Tim has been fortunate to not have to face much HIV stigma. “One of my sisters was worried about me being around her kids, and that bothered me a lot,” he recalls, but otherwise he hasn’t experienced the kinds of discrimination and hate that others have been subjected to.
Tim heard about TIHAN years ago, and when he was working at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church, he saw people gathering for TIHAN’s Poz Café lunch and social program which happens on their campus. He and Steve started attending the Poz Cafe three years ago, and have enjoyed connecting with others in a social atmosphere, enjoying the great food, and learning more about TIHAN.
“We wanted to join and be part of TIHAN,” he shares. “I’ve gone through some struggles this past year, and we have received some great support from you all. Love and support, first and foremost. Advice. Help. Being a safeguard for me. When I was unable to work with everything going on, TIHAN has helped with grocery store gift cards for food, which has been a huge help. And receiving CarePackages with all those items that people donated for us has been really great. It means a lot.”
Tim talks about meeting some HIV-positive friends through TIHAN, and has been especially impressed by TIHAN’s staff and volunteers. “Your folks have reached out to me personally during these past months,” he states. “Everyone has been so kind. TIHAN’s group of volunteers – these people you have are just amazing. They come to help, truly wanting to be of service. That is just amazing how they much they care about the programs you provide and all of us you help.”
While he’s being treated for cancer and avoiding exposure to COVID, Tim is staying safe at home. He’s looking forward to the day—he’s hoping for summer or fall—that he can gather with other positive friends for lunch at Poz Café, followed by a few games of BINGO. And, yes, we are all looking forward to that!
We’re Running Low on Paper Products to Include in Our CarePackages – Can You Help?
TIHAN supporters have been amazing with helping to keep our CarePartners stocked with essential hygiene and household items, even with the tremendous increase in the number of CarePackages that we distribute each month. We are running low on toilet tissue and paper towels, and we really need your help right now to be able to continue to provide these essentials in our CarePackages. Whatever you are able to donate–whether it is two rolls or a bulk package, it is in high demand and will be put to immediate use. It’s contact-free—
Please bring donations to the TIHAN office and call us when you are putting them on the donation table outside our front door, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.
Recruiting for a Few Key Volunteer Roles
We are continuing our monthly Volunteer Orientations via Zoom. We have a wide range of volunteer opportunities including administrative support, outreach and education, fundraising, and care and support roles working directly with people living with HIV. Contact our Maggie for information about our current volunteer opportunities, and we’ll get the process started for you. When the time comes, you’ll be ready to go and start making a difference! Maggie can be reached at (520) 299-6647 ext 204 or VolunteerCoordinator@tihan.org. We are currently recruiting for several volunteer positions including:
- Link Specialist Volunteers (especially Spanish-speaking)
- Operations Assistants (Front Desk Receptionist)
- Social Media Volunteer
- CarePartner Program Support Volunteers
- Marketing Committee Member
- Data Entry Volunteers
- Program Committee Member
We hope to find caring and compassionate people with the talents and skills to perform these important roles. The next Volunteer Orientation is Tuesday, February 16, 2021, so contact us now to learn more, and sign up to get involved.
Volunteers Needed for TIHAN’s February Folding Party!
Our February newsletter assembly (Folding Party) takes place February 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th remotely, at your home. Newsletters will be available for pick up at the TIHAN office on Monday, February 1st in the afternoon. Please contact Maggie McCann, Operations Manager, at OperationsManager@tihan.org or 520-299-6647 ext 204.
if you are interested in joining this folding party and working from home to help get out our quarterly print newsletter!
Help Us Stay Connected to YOU!
TIHAN strives to keep our records as current as possible.
If you would like to update any of your contact information, please contact Maggie McCann, Operations Manager, at 520-299-6647 ext 204 or OperationsManager@tihan.org.
Reminder About Policy on Pets and Service Animals
We love our pets—they are part of our families, and for many of us, a very important part of our support system. However, for safety, hygiene and allergy reasons, we can’t have pets at the TIHAN office or at TIHAN events or classes.
The only animals that are welcomed at the office and/or at events/classes are service animals that have been trained to do a specific task for a person with a disability.
If you have a service animal that you are bringing to the TIHAN office or a TIHAN event, such as Poz Café or a Living Well class, please first check in with TIHAN staff. TIHAN is committed to ensuring the safety and hygiene of the environment for our CarePartners, volunteers, and guests and we want to assure you that if an animal is at the TIHAN office or event, it must be a service animal, and not a pet, and it’s not appropriate for anyone to approach, pet, or feed a service animal. Thank you!
COVID Updates, Testing, and Vaccines
COVID The world’s scientists worked at super-speed to create a vaccine that is safe and effective against COVID-19, and now it has arrived! Pima County is managing the vaccine locally with different groups, in order of priority.
Click here to read more about Pima County’s plan and where you will fit in the different phases of vaccine priorities.
In addition to continuing to wear a face mask in public, distance from others, and stay home whenever possible, TIHAN encourages everyone to get this vaccine as soon as they are able. It will take a community-wide effort to build up immunity against this disease, protecting everyone and allowing us to begin to heal after this traumatic pandemic. Rest assured that our staff and volunteers will be signing up right away, to keep ourselves and each other safe.
For more information about testing and vaccinations in Pima County, visit pima.gov/covid19
