Greg Barry is one of the top fundraiser for the Scotiabank AIDS Walk. Although he has a busy life working as a senior manager in a multinational engineering company, Greg puts a lot of passion …
“HIV is still an issue.” Meet Jennifer, a top supporter and fundraiser for the AIDS Walk
Jennifer has a very personal connection to the AIDS Walk. Her first one was almost 15 years ago, and she walks every year. A few years ago she started a fundraising event at her house. …
Why I Walk
About a year ago I took on the role of Executive Director at HIV Community Link. It has been an exciting year of learning and growth, and I am honoured to have joined a team …
Why I Walk
Aside from the obvious factor of my being a person living with HIV for 17 years there are a number of reasons that have me register, raise funds, promote, and walk the route at the …
Medicine Hat HIV Community Link is Here for You
The Medicine Hat branch of HIV Community Link is well known as the Medicine Hat Cares Centre. The primary focus of our Medicine Hat location is our harm reduction services that include a needle exchange program. In …
Public Health Response to HIV Testing Lags behind Public Demand
As HIV Community Link did back in 2014, senior officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) are urging public health decision makers to lower barriers to …
TRANSforming Support Services
The marginalizing of people who self-identify as transgender and in sex work is dangerously compounded by the societal stigma attached to sex workers — putting people at an even greater risk of violence. Shift is committed to pushing back and here for support and advocacy.
Naloxone and Overdose Prevention
In the face of the fentanyl crisis in Alberta, naloxone is a new weapon to fight back. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist; this means that it blocks opioid receptors. Naloxone has no potential for misuse. Naloxone only works on opioids, meaning that if a person is not taking any opioids and gets injected with naloxone, nothing will happen.
Trauma and HIV
What is Trauma? These days we hear a lot of talk about Trauma and experiences that may have been traumatic in our lives. Trauma is described by the American Psychological Association as an “emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster”. The APA goes on to note that “Longer term reactions [can] include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea”.
Occupational Therapy and HIV – What Can OT Offer?
had the privilege of spending the last six weeks on placement at HIV Community Link. This was a unique opportunity because I am studying to be an occupational therapist, and there has never before been an occupational therapist at HIV Community Link. During this time I learned a lot about occupational therapy (OT) in the context of HIV, and I would like to share what I learned.