Saturday, March 31, 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM  

Third Annual Celebrity Doodles to benefit D.A.P.  

Celebrity Doodles has become an annual opportunity to mingle among some of your favorite stars in an evening of fun, food and festivities.  Afterward, the proceeds of both silent and live auctions of art by some of these celebrities will be donated to Desert AIDS Project. This year will feature performances by  Suzanne Somers, Lorna Luft and Meredith Patterson.  Click here for the event website, a list of celebrities expected to attend and more information.  (sb)

Tuesday, April 3, 6:00 PM 

A Positive Life - The Series: What's New in HIV? - An Update from the 2012 Retrovirus Conference

The next seminar in the Positive Life Series will bring the latest information from CROI 2012, the 19th Annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections being held this week in Seattle, Washington.  Drs. John Stansell and Clayton Barbour will be the featured speakers.  A light supper will be served at 6:00 PM, and the program will begin at 6:30 PM.  The location is the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Medical Center (at the corner of Tachevah and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs), and the event, sponsored by Jewish Family Services of the Desert, is always free.  ASL translation will be provided.  Questions? Email positivelifeseries@gmail.com, or call 760.566.6POZ (6769). However, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RSVP!  The following Positive Life Series seminar will be on Tuesday, May 1 on the topic of HIV and Cardiovascular Health, featuring speaker Ruben Gamundi.  

Thursday, April 12, 4:00 - 6:00 PM

HIV Wisdom for Older Women 

Thursday, April 19, 7:00 PM

 "Woven Voices"

Share the life experience of four long-time survivors of HIV/AIDS at a reading of their collective work, entitled "Woven Voices," in the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs on Thursday, April 19 at 7:00 PM. The one-hour reading will be followed by a Q&A session. Those considering attending should be aware that some "adult language" will be used throughout the reading. (rv) 

Thursday, April 26, breakfast, lunch & dinner 

Dining Out for Life 

You can support HIV/AIDS services at Desert AIDS Project simply by dining at any of the Dining Out for Life participating restaurants throughout the Coachella Valley on Thursday, April 26!  Follow this link for more information and a list of participating restaurants. (jl)

The D.A.P. Client Community Center hosts regular activities and events every week (listed below).  Community Center special events and other activities can be found on the main D.A.P. website.  Click here for the complete list of upcoming special events.     

Every Thursday, 1:00 PM - Movie & Pizza 

Community Center Presents: LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES

March 22

My Life In Ruins (2009) 

A travel guide rediscovers her romantic side on a trip around Greece.  Directed by Donald Petrie and starring Nia Vardalos and Richard Dreyfuss.

Come out for a good flick!  

 

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Ongoing Client Community Center activities include:

• Support groups 
• Spiritual Living 101  
• Hepatitis C Therapy Education
• Diabetes Education
• Stitch in Time (needlecraft), Wednesdays, 10:00 AM 
• Community Center Computer Lab
• Lending Library
• Free films, Thursdays, 1:00 PM    

Follow this link to see the recurring activities on the Community Center Calendar.  

 

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CROI 2012 wrap-up
The Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), one of the most important annual scientific meetings on HIV/AIDS, was held earlier this month.  Visit aidsmap.com to see their complete coverage of conference highlights.  Also, don't forget to attend the Positive Life Seminar (listed above) to learn the latest from our local HIV Specialits Dr. John Stansell and Dr. Clayton Barbour, who are attending the conference this week. (jl) 

Johns Hopkins breakthrough may end need for lifelong drugs  

Researchers have known since 1995 that reservoirs of HIV virus survive anti-retroviral drug therapy by going dormant. Using human immune system cells in the lab, AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins have figured out a way to kill off latent forms of HIV that hide in infected T-cells long after antiretroviral therapy has successfully stalled viral replication to undetectable levels in blood tests.  This discovery may eliminate AIDS patients' current need for lifelong drug therapy.  Read more here. (jl)

Gilead "Quad" pill performance comparable to Atripla   

There may soon be another once-daily pill option.  The first-ever head-to-head study of two one-pill, once-daily regimens-Gilead Sciences' "Quad" tablet containing the experimental integrase inhibitor elvitegravir and boosting agent cobicistat along with tenofovir and emtricitabine, compared with Atripla (efavirenz plus emtricitabine and tenofovir)-shows comparable efficacy between the two, according to results presented Wednesday, March 7, at the 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle.  Read more here. (jl)

Help with paying health insurance premiums may be available 

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Tell Novartis to put patients before profits 

India produces most of the developing world's supply of generic medicines for HIV, cancer and other diseases.  But if a giant Swiss pharmaceutical company, Novartis, gets its way, the "pharmacy to the developing world" could come to a screeching halt.  Novartis is challenging a patent law in India that prevents "evergreening" - a tactic that drug companies use to extend patents on drugs that are about to expire by making tiny tweaks to the medication.  If Novartis wins this lawsuit, it will cause millions of people worldwide to lose access to affordable medicines in the future.  Follow this link to read more and to add your name to the petition. (jl)

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The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is a tremendous support to people living with HIV who are unable to afford the substantial cost of life saving medications. Recently there was concern that the new California budget would implement a co-pay for ADAP.  Fortunately, last week the issue came up for a vote in the Health and Human Services Subcommittee of the Senate's Budget and Fiscal Review Committee and the proposal was defeated 2-1.  Unfortunately, the lone dissenting vote was cast by our own State Senator, Bill Emmerson!  Send a note to Senator Emmerson telling him that his vote was unacceptable and, as a constituent, you demand that he fully support ADAP! (jl)

I have a good friend who asked if I would share his story with DAPCAN readers. He felt there may be others like him who suffer from HIV related Myopathy and/or Myalgia to the point that it severely alters their gait, or makes it extremely difficult to stand or walk.  In his case, it caused him to avoid going out of the house. His hope is that if his story could help others, it was worth telling.   

After an exhaustive search for the cause of his muscle pain and weakness, including a muscle biopsy, nerve conduction studies, and visits to the most prominent neurologists, rheumatologists, and HIV specialists, no definitive cause was found.  As a result, it became necessary to focus on dealing with the symptoms and stop searching for a cause.

The first step was leg braces.  These were remarkable because they gave him the ability to stand, walk, and get around, when he would have otherwise shut himself in.  Although the braces were a great improvement, there were still balance issues to contend with. Since the muscle pain and weakness extends to his upper extremities, using canes in addition to the leg braces, even adaptive elbow canes, was not feasible. He was also dead-set against going out in public using a walker.  Fortunately, he had a doctor who was open to prescribing a Mobility Dog rather than having him rely on braces alone. Mobility Dogs provide their human "partners" with stability and balance while walking. These dogs wear a special harness that helps them act as a counterbalance for their partner while he/she is walking to prevent a fall.

Having Zoe, has changed his life. With the braces and Zoe, he is now completely independent, no longer having to rely on others. Zoe goes everywhere with him and helps him balance while walking, get up from chairs, and walk up stairs or inclines. He can now go out in public without feeling like people are staring at him due to his gait and, to use his own words, he feels "normal" again!

The point of sharing his story is to let people, who may be suffering as he was, know that there are alternatives to suffering in solitude.  While he points out that he may still have to deal with stares, silly questions about Zoe, or occasional outright rudeness, this just reminds him, that he's out in public instead of cooped up at home.  For more information on Mobility Dogs, click here and here. (jl)

Remember that the Desert AIDS Project toll-free phone number is always available at 866.331.3344, as is the website at www.desertaidsproject.org. (jl)    

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Medically Indigent Services Program  (MISP) 

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

951.486.5375 - English         

951.486.5400 - Spanish

951.486.4635 - fax   

NOTICE: Faxed MISP applications can get lost in the process. Most persons who have faxed their application have had to re-apply later. It's best to apply in person in Moreno Valley, and get a "receipt of application", and use that as proof that you applied to avoid any uninterrupted services with your DAP medical doctor visits. (rv) (jl)

To contact state and federal officials click on name:

President Barack Obama
Senator Diane Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack 
Congressman Jerry Lewis
Governor Jerry Brown
State Senator Bill Emmerson
State Senator Juan Vargas
Assembly member Brian Nestande
Assembly member Manual Perez

Desert AIDS Project - Community Action Newsletter (DAPCAN) presents published material, reprinted with permission, and neither endorses or opposes any material.  All information contained in this newsletter, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments is for informational purposes only.  It is often presented in summary or aggregate form.  It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional.  Always discuss treatment options with a physician who specializes in treating HIV.  Publication of the name or likeness of any individual in articles in this newsletter is not to be construed as any indication of the HIV status of such individual.  If you do not wish to receive this e-newsletter, please notify us by using the email address below:

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