disease area because the community is organised and motivated and is able to use the system in order to demand a decent standard of care.
"Aids is a model for patient activism and the same
thing is beginning to happen on a world level to get medicines to developing
countries."
Why are you getting out of Aids work?
"I'm very sorry to be leaving the Aids field but remain hugely committed
to it. I'm going back to my hometown of New York City to run African field
conservation projects for the Wildlife Conservation Society. That's exciting
because I'll be able to use my biological background and the work is very
involved in Africa, which I also miss. I'll still be involved in Aids,
and in Africa I can play an important role. Also, I look forward to continuing
to be involved as someone living openly with HIV, as well as a volunteer
and donor to Crusaid."
Any message to Positive Nation readers?
"Remain involved. There are still huge challenges. The number of
new infections is still growing each year in this country so we need more
effective prevention
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work and there's a huge job to be done to get antiretrovirals
overseas. If you've got money - write a cheque. If you don't have money
there's so much you can do by volunteering.
"For people like me living with HIV who have been given a second
chance of life as a result of the miracle of combination therapy - I would
say you owe a little bit of that life to the society that came up with
those drugs - so, give something back."
Crusaid: tel. 020 7833 3939 or visit: www.crusaid.org.uk
