New York City - Health

Last day of service!!

Today was our last day!! We have loved our time at the GMHC. We served this morning in the women's center. Hal of us organized closets and the other half filed while learning some tricks and tips from the women of GMHC. After we were done we met with Seth Richardson our closed out our week. It has been awesome getting to see how the this non-profit was run! We learned so much about HIV and AIDS as well as the health care history of the infection. It is outrageous to us as health care providers to realize in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic some patients were denied based off their diagnosis and basically left to die. As we leave the GMHC, we will remember to take the lessons we learned into our future professional careers. 

The afternoon we had off to explore more of NYC. We headed to the 9/11 memorial. Words cannot express the feeling of walking through that museum. 

New York City - Health

Play safe! 

This morning we met with Vee and helped make Pussy Packs! She told us her past with HIV/AIDS and challenged the stereotypical face of HIV and AIDS. In the afternoon  We attended HIV 101 with Kenneth. We learned that their are two types of HIV-1 and HIV-2. Also, how life insurance can be denied based on HIV positive test.

AV For our free time we hit Broadway! Half the group attended American Pyscho and the other half. All in all

New York City - Health (3)

Pretty in Pink

Today we served at the GMHC Kitchen! Everyone loved getting to meet the guests of the GMHC. We were welcome into the kitchen with open arms and hearts. The put us to work serving chicken gyros, fish, and manicotti. We were also able to meet the guest and we came away with some great stories. One guest may have his own VH1 reality TV show in the work. (Stay Tuned) We served in the kitchen from 11:30-3:30 pm under the supervision of lead Lucy who was a hoot and a half. After the kitchen, we had a short break where participant Olivia learned she had been ACCEPTED TO GRAD SCHOOOL!!! (WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!) She will begin the journey to get a Masters in Public Health this summer! After the exciting break, we heading over to help with AIDS Walk which is the GMHC's biggest fundraiser for the year. We cleaned posters and helped send out mailing cards. At 6 pm, we were off and headed over to the Highline and the Chelsea Market for dinner. We ran into a fellow Mizzouian while there and snapped a pic! At the end of the day we headed back to Brooklyn and discussed how as future health professionals the importance of being able to communicate well with everyone. 

Soaring into Grad School. 

New York City - Health (2)

First day of service! 

Today was our first of service. We experienced the thrill of a Brooklyn commute to Manhattan and arrived right on time for our first day of volunteering. The grand Seth Richardson greeted us and had a wonderful orientation. David then gave us a tour of the GMHC and explained why service meant so much to him. His stories were incredible. They all were so welcoming and kind! We then headed to lunch were Site Leader Gabby and participant Olivia were approached by someone handing out flyers for AIDS walk. AIDS walk is the biggest fundraiser for the GMHC and it wad inspiring to see others working in the community for this cause. After lunch we watched the documentary Larry Kramer: In Love and Hate. This documentary opened our eyes to the injustice those infected with HIV and AIDS experienced by the health care system. As future health professionals it made us aware the discrimination that can occur and the importance of treating every individual with respect and dignity no matter their sexual orientation or diagnosis. We also learned about an HIV prevention drug PrEp and PEP which works to lower the risk of HIV-negative individuals to HIV and AIDS. In addition we discussed how HIV/AIDs is not as talked about on college campuses any more and how some diseases might follow popular trends controlled by the media. IE Ebola in the news and then Zika virus. After the service, we headed out and saw a few more sites including Central Park and Rockefeller Center. At night, we ended with a great discussion and participant Jaqueline really brought it home and shared an article from Mizzou about how HIV! 

New York City - Health (1)

Wahoo free day!!

Today on our free day we participants experience Easter Brooklyn Style. Participants Michael, Olivia, and Keegan headed to a local Catholic Church where they ended up speaking only Spanish. They said the style involved a lot of singing and dancing which was very different than their church back home. After Easter services, the group hit the subways for the first time and headed to the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked across Brooklyn bridge and ran into a fellow Mizzou student. We then headed to a Dunkin' Donuts to grab a quick coffee while there we met a man who just moved back to the City! After learning we were serving at the GMHC he said, "Actually my roommate and best friend from here both had HIV. One of them has lost a ton of weight and it's absolutely awful." How crazy it is to run into someone affected by AIDS and HIV just on the street! After Dunkin we headed to Times Square and looked around for awhile. Then we headed to Little Italy for dinner. The food was FANTASTIC!! We are excited to get out tomorrow and meet our service site! 

Haylie is 21!!!