Birmingham - AIDS

Day 4

Today was a busy day at Birmingham AIDS Outreach. We started the day reorganizing upstairs storage rooms, moving furniture, and cleaning out the clothing closet. Several people also packed food boxes for the clients. While we worked, we learned a great deal about BAO and the issues faced by people living with HIV. BAO has been serving the people of Birmingham for over 25 years. They provide many services to HIV positive clients including transportation to and from medical appointments, free food and clothing according to need, and assistance paying for prescriptions and doctor's visits. We were shocked to learn that even if a client has insurance, the co-pay for HIV medication can be around $800. To qualify for services at BAO, an HIV positive individual must earn less than four times the federal poverty level ($22,000). We were also impressed when we found out that BAO is one of only a few AIDS service organizations in the country that has a full-time lawyer on staff to provide free legal advice to clients.

After a busy morning at BAO, we toured the 1917 Clinic with Amanda from AIDS Alabama. Similar to St. Geroge's Clinic, the 1917 Clinic provides medical and dental care to HIV positive patients regardless of their ability to pay. The 1917 Clinic, which is part of the University of Alabama Birmingham's health system, is at the forefront of AIDS research. They are in the process of developing an HIV vaccination and a lube that could significantly reduce a person's chance of contracting HIV. While at 1917, we learned about the clinic's education and prevention programs and put together more safer sex packages for the clinic to handout at outreach events. We also learned more about AIDS. For instance, we learned that you would have to drink a gallon of an HIV positive person's saliva to contract HIV. Over one million people have HIV/AIDS in America and according to the U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 250,000 Americans have HIV but don't know it. Also, one in two people will contract a sexually transmitted infection before the age of 25. A mother who is HIV positive will not necessarily pass on HIV to their baby. The placenta acts as a protective barrier and c-sections make it possible for babies to be born without contracting the infection.

Our experiences with Birmingham AIDS Alabama, AIDS Alabama, St. George's Clinic, and the 1917 Clinic so far have been both enlightening and inspiring. Our group has had the opportunity to work with the major AIDS service organizations in Birmingham and learn about their fight against the disease and the social stigma it brings. Tomorrow is our day off and we are planning on going to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the University of Alabama.