Tuesday, October 2, 6:00 - 8:00 PM - Positive Life Series   

Positive Life series continues on Tuesday, October 2 with Chicago physician Daniel Berger, M.D, speaking about treatments for HIV lipodystrophy. As always, a light supper is served at 6:00 PM and the program begins at 6:30 PM.  The location is the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Medical Center (corner of Tachevah and Via Miraleste in Palm Springs) and the event, sponsored by Jewish Family Service of the Desert, is always free.  ASL translation is provided.  Questions?   Email positivelifeseries@gmail.com or call 760.566.6POZ (6769).  However, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RSVP! (jl)

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Wednesday, October 17, 9:00 AM - Noon -

Sunline Transit at D.A.P. to offer Disabled/Medicare Half-fare I.D. Card

Personnel from Sunline Transit, which operates bus service throughout our desert cities, will be at D.A.P. on Wednesday, October 17, from 9:00 AM to Noon to accept applications from clients for half-price fare cards.  To qualify, clients must present a government-issued identification card, proof of residence (such as a utility bill, driver's license with current address, lease agreement or property tax statement) and one of the following:    

• Medicare card
• Sunline ADA certification card
• SSI award letter
• SSDI award letter
• Veteran's Admininstration award letter for 50% disability
• Physician's verification of disability form (which must be completed and signed by your doctor)  

Sunday, November 4, 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM   

25th Anniversary of Palm Springs AIDS Walk  

Friday, November 16, 6:00 PM    

Dancing with the Desert Stars returns!    

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.

COMING SOON!  "FROM GRIEF TO HOPE" WRITING WORKSHOP -- 

SIGN UP NOW!   SEATS WILL BE LIMITED

Dolores Carruthers (pictured), a local author and mother who lost her adult son in an accident, recorded her journey through feelings of grief, anger, disbelief and despair in her book, A Vow Made True: From Despair to Hope.  In this workshop, she will teach individuals who have had similar experiences how to write their way to hope and healing!  Contact Ray for details and how to sign up.  Date and time will be announced soon.  

Learn how to express yourself more effectively!   

Community Center Presents - Gilead Sciences, Inc.

TOPIC: NEW MEDICINE!

Mike Roy will be here discussing Stribild, the new four-in-one QUAD pill, once-daily regimen that we reported on in our August 30 issue.   Lunch starts at 11:45 AM.   RSVP to Ray at 760.323.2118, ext. 295, or email rrobertson@desertaidsproject.org.  See article below for more on the cost of Stribild.  (jl) (sb)   

Improve your quality of life through education!

Register now to join Palm Springs AIDS Walk and Palm Springs Pride in marching together! 

The Palm Springs AIDS Walk has become one of the most important annual events for D.A.P. over the last 25 years.  Our supporters have continued to "show the love" by ever-increasing participation in the Walk, raising much-needed funds for D.A.P. client services.  In its first quarter-century, the AIDS Walk has netted nearly $6.25 million through individual walkers who secure donation pledges from friends and family, as well as through significant sponsorships from community partnerships.  This year we'll make history as we walk together with Greater Palm Springs Pride, honoring the AIDS Walk legacy and all of our community supporters.  The AIDS Walk is also honored to receive the inaugural 2012 Spirit of Stonewall Advocate of the Year Award from the Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade.  Register for AIDS Walk here and come out to walk with us! (jl)

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Walgreens' Red Ribbon Month supports AIDS Walk and D.A.P. client services

For the third year, area Walgreens stores are supporting the Palm Springs AIDS Walk to benefit D.A.P. client services through Walgreens Red Ribbon Month of September.  They invite everyone to Walk with Walgreens in the 25th Anniversary AIDS Walk on Sunday, November 4.  On Saturday, September 15, Vicki Steele of EZ-103 will broadcast from Walgreens at Smoke Tree Commons (Farrell and Highway 111) from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  A $20 donation to the Walgreens Red Bucket will get shoppers a 15% discount for the day and there will be giveaways for T-shirts and tickets to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the Living Desert, the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Palm Springs Air Museum, and Knott's Soak City.  "The in-house Walgreens pharmacy at D.A.P. is just the beginning of the long partnership we've had," said David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project. "Last year, Walgreens donated nearly $16,000 from the Red Ribbon in-store promotion, and they are a big part of this year's AIDS Walk which will be part of the annual Pride Parade on November 4."

Desert AIDS Project thanks everyone who has already made a contribution at one of the participating Walgreens stores and encourages them to help raise even more money by forming their own Walk team.  D.A.P. has made it easy for anyone to donate to the Walk or to set up their own Walk team page and solicit donations from family and friends. Click

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Late breaking!  Free tickets to Dirty Little Showtunes!  Friday night only 

Ray Robertson has a number of free pairs of tickets for Friday evening, September 14, for Dirty Little Showtunes!, now showing at the Desert Rose Playhouse in Rancho Mirage.  Mixing a variety of satirical songs with adult humor and social commentary, Dirty Little  Showtunes! is a bawdy musical parody revue which ran in San Francisco for 13 years.  Highlight numbers are "I Am Unworthy of Your Son" and "Modern Homosexual."  Showtime is 8:00 PM.  You must come to Ray's office at D.A.P. by 4:00 PM on Friday.  First come, first served!  To check on remaining availability, you can call Ray at 760.323.2118, ext. 295.  The Desert Rose Playhouse is located at 69620 Highway 111.  (sb)

 
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New one-stop shop for enrolling in HIV/AIDS Patient Assistance Programs   

Many pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs (PAPs) that provide medicines at low or no cost to people who would otherwise be unable to afford costly antiretroviral drugs.  Because many HIV treatment regimens include drugs from more than one manufacturer, sorting out eligibility requirements and applying for multiple PAPs has historically been a complicated business.  The Common Patient Assistance Program form launched today streamlines the application process, making it simpler for HIV-positive people to gain access to medications.  "This is an excellent example of community advocates working in partnership with pharmaceutical industry representatives to establish innovative tools that improve treatment access for people living with HIV," commented Ernest Hopkins, Legislative Affairs Director at San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  "Hopefully, the next step is to expand the model to improve treatment access for individuals living with other infectious and chronic diseases."  Click here for more information from the Foundation.  (sb)  

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Promising new HCV drug works well with HIV antivirals      

HIV-positive people coinfected with Hepatitis C (HCV) can experience more rapid liver disease progression than HIV-negative individuals, and don't respond as well to interferon-based treatment.  Adding new direct-acting, anti-HCV drugs can improve response, but raises concerns about toxicity and interactions with HIV drugs.  In addition, many coinfected people are ineligible for interferon-based therapy or cannot tolerate its side effects.  A new experimental drug, polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir (formerly GS-7977) is showing promise in rapidly reducing HCV viral load similar to that seen in HIV negative patients, with no signs of interactions with antiviral drugs.  Click here for more on studies of this new drug.  (sb)

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Another pill?  Yes, we all ought to be taking a daily aspirin

According to a new study at the University of Alabama (published online by Clinical Infectious Diseases), most HIV-positive people should be taking a daily aspirin to help prevent a heart attack or stroke, but too few of us are doing so: fewer than 20% of those living with HIV/AIDS and qualify for U.S. criteria for aspirin therapy are taking the cheap, over-the-counter medication.  "Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events is underutilized in HIV-infected patients," summarized Greer Burkholder, MD.  Compared with their HIV-negative peers, those with HIV are at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes, particularly those 50 and older.  As a result,  it's important to alert HIV care providers about aspirin therapy and existing guidelines.  As always, this is something to discuss with your doctor.  After a cardio incident and a stent, your editor has been taking the 81 mg (baby dose) of generic aspirin for several years.  So far, so good.  Aspirin may also have other virtues in helping to prevent certain cancers.  Click here and here for more information.  (sb)

Registering and voting is easier than ever before...

and D.A.P. is here for anyone who needs help 

As your editor rather strongly notes below, voting this year is more urgent than ever before. And it's also much easier.  If you're not registered, here's what you need to know: the deadline for voter registration is Monday, October 22 and Election Day is Tuesday, November 6.  Plenty of time!  You can register online and request a ballot to vote by mail.  It's all quite simple.  Click here for the official State of California Elections site that will provide you with all the information you'll need.  Or click here for the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Q&A site.  And if health or mobility problems may threaten your ability to vote, contact us here at DAPCAN@desertaidsproject.org and we'll make sure you get the assistance you need!  (sb)

Not voting this year?  Then you are giving away your rights...to both a voice and an opinion  

by Steve Bolerjack 

Nothing annoys me more than being at the gym or a bar and overhearing people's excuses for not voting: "It won't make any difference."  "It's too much trouble."  "I was too tired from the night before."  "It's all fixed anyway."  "I hate politicians."  "I forgot."   Well, all that is a bunch of...shall we say, bovine compost.  In living with HIV/AIDS, we are all members of a very vulnerable community, many of us LGBT to boot, and there are many elected officials and political parties out there who despise us and are actively working against our interests.  I've never advocated being a one- or two-issue voter, but healthcare and civil rights issues are central to our well-being and even our survival.  The Affordable Health Care Act may have been validated by the Supreme Court, but its specifics can always be attacked (Romney promises to "repeal" the whole thing and his party hopes to eliminate Medicare, drastically reduce Social Security and reproductive options for women and generally eliminate the safety net for those living with chronic health issues and limited incomes).  Think ADAP and Medicaid would survive all that?  They'll be the first items on the chopping block.  You may think that California is already safely in the blue column, but many local races--state and county legislators, judges and especially our federal congressional district race--all remain up for grabs.  So your vote is more important this year than ever before.  In my 40 years of voting, I've never seen the country more hatefully polarized than it is today.  It's sad, but like many of us, I've been forced to end long-term friendships and relationships because of the incomprehensibly hateful politics of former acquaintances.  And remember this: when AIDS was killing thousands of people every day, activists and ACT-UP protesters didn't just march and yell and wave signs--they also got registered and voted.  So this year, as never before, not following their example is absolutely inexcusable, especially when D.A.P. is here to assist any client who needs help registering or getting to the polls.
 

More help paying for prescription medications  

Among the resources available to HIV-positive people to help pay for prescription medications is NeedyMeds.  The mission of NeedyMeds is to make information about assistance programs available to low-income patients and their advocates at no cost.  Go  to www.needymeds.org, look up the  medications you need and you'll be directed to the patient assistance program website for that manufacturer.  The site  also offers a free drug discount card that is accepted at more than 62,000 pharmacies.  If you are having trouble paying for your medications this site is worth a look!  (jl) (sb) 

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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