San Francisco, CA — June 5, 2014 is the first-ever National HIV/AIDS Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (NHALTSAD). On that day, Let’s Kick ASS—AIDS Survivor Syndrome convenes the AIDS Survivors Summit/San Francisco 2014at theSan Francisco LGBT Center on June 5, 2014 from 1:00-9:00 PM. Let’s Kick ASS is bringing together survivors, both HIV-positive and negative, with key Bay Area AIDS organizations in an effort to begin addressing the unique challenges facing those longest affected by the HIV epidemic.
With over half the People Living With HIV already over age 50 in the Bay Area we realize that providers are attempting to figure out how to best serve this cohort. There is growing evidence of an AIDS survivor syndrome (ASS). It manifests in depression, anxiety, anger, isolation, posttraumatic stress, and lack of future orientation during this second wave of the epidemic. Some give up hope and end their lives rather than life with the losses and survivor guilt. Other related concerns are Aging with HIV, and retirement after disability among others.
The daylong gathering is designed to empower participants through talk show-style discussions and presentations with an emphasis on optimizing survivors’ lives and envisioning the future they never imagined. We want to help survivors live the best lives they can now while we begin making plans for the next. We want the recall the resilience, strength and bravery the community exhibited.
Visit: LetsKickASS.org. Twitter: @AIDSsurvivors
