Jimmie, another creative partner of the “I am a Work of ART” campaign, says anyone with HIV struggling to get into care or to stay in care should keep trying because the benefits are worth it. Diagnosed with HIV 29 years ago, Jimmie chose to participate in the campaign because it’s important to let people know, especially the younger generation, about the different treatments available.
An avid animal rescuer and proud fur baby parent,
“Antiretroviral therapy (ART) changed my life in a sense that I have been leading a full life almost 30 years later,” says Jimmie. “I don’t have to worry about dying.”
What does Jimmie worry about? “I worry about my mother who is in her 80s, my elderly dogs, my weight,” Jimmy chuckles, “which is a joke in itself.” He continues, “I’m a living example of what happens when you get in care and stay in care, and people need to know that there are survivors who are not just surviving but thriving.”
It is important for Black people to know their HIV status so they can take medicines like ART to treat HIV if they have the virus. People who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load, who remain “virally suppressed,” can stay healthy for many years and cannot sexually transmit HIV to their HIV-negative partner.4 If you have been diagnosed with HIV, visit www.HIV.gov/ART to find a care provider near you.
1 Special Focus Profiles | Volume 32 | HIV Surveillance | Reports | Resource Library | HIV/AIDS | CDC
3 HIV Treatment: The Basics | NIH
4 Viral Suppression | HIV and African American People | Race/Ethnicity | HIV by Group | HIV/AIDS | CDC
This article is sponsored by OIDP.