CHELSEA — They left behind friends and lovers, got used to weekly funerals, and grew to expect early death.
But the survivors of the AIDS crisis in New York, the lucky ones who made it to the age of antiretroviral therapy, are still here. And they still need help, according to GMHC, which is re-launching a buddy program originally created to aid the dying.
"Long-term survivors have lived through the worst of the AIDS epidemic, and now in many ways feel forgotten," Jeff Rindler, GMHC's Chief Program Officer, said in a press release. "We are not only committed to making sure they are not forgotten, but also that they are honored and have access to services that meet their needs today."
The buddy program started in 1982 to help isolated HIV/AIDS patients, many of whom had no family to care for them, get to doctors' appointments, grocery shop, and keep connected.
While long-term survivors, which GMHC defines as those who have been HIV positive for 10 years or more, have different needs than the original program's participants, they are more likely to suffer from depression and suicidal ideation, and report symptoms that resemble post traumatic stress disorder, the organization said.
Volunteer buddies in the program will provide these veterans with an extra layer of support.
"We deserve respect and a sense of community to help us out of our isolation and depression and to help us live the lives that GMHC and the LGBT community fought so hard to save in the early 80's," Sean McKenna, a long-term AIDS survivor, said in a release.
"Helping to bring back the GMHC Buddy Program is nothing short of miraculous, not only because this time around it's designed to help people live their lives to the fullest, but also because, until there is a cure, every one of us who is infected will eventually become a long-term survivor."
