When I was diagnosed with HIV in 1984, many doors were closed to me and my friends. For years, I’ve stuck my foot out every day to get them opened again. I am so glad to be part of Lifelong’s work to ensure those doors continue to remain open for everyone, especially those who face the most challenging barriers to health equity, no matter what challenges we face as a community.
Early work by AIDS service organizations was all about being record keepers. All we could do was help people die with dignity and then record them in databases so their loss wouldn’t be forgotten. This way, we could show the human cost of these losses to people in power.
Then, the community found ways to offer patchwork solutions that eventually came together to form a framework of sustainable, supportive care. Lifelong was born from this uprising and became the leading force for HIV support in the Pacific Northwest. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then, but too many people are still locked out of accessing the resources they need to live long, healthy lives.
I’ve been living with HIV for more than half my life. I’m not going to die from this, but as a community we still need to figure out what living with this looks like and be comfortable with the fact that it will look different for everyone. I’ve seen how diverse those lives can be in my time at Lifelong when I began as a volunteer in 2001 and now as I work full time as a case manager.
I often meet with clients who are unstably housed while living with HIV. If a person doesn’t have a roof over their head, it is much harder to get them to prioritize taking their medication. So, we start there. By letting client needs lead us, we’re empowering people to take charge of their health every step of the way.
After working for health equity for more than 35 years, Lifelong is uniquely primed to apply that same framework of community-driven care to people facing a wide range of health challenges.
Lifelong’s expansion of care to other communities continues to inspire me to find solutions that are tailored to my clients’ unique needs without judgement.
The partnership between a case manager and client relies on personal investment. If we’re doing more than half of the work for a client’s health, we’re not actually helping. Lasting change will only be possible if we collaborate.
Sometimes that collaboration is instant. Sometimes it takes years. We’re ready for them either way.
No matter what the situation is, when someone reaches out to Lifelong, I always want to honor their humanity.
Everyone deserves immense respect for making the active choice to take care of themselves.
Thank you for helping people live with pride and dignity.
Scott Hix
HIGH ACUITY RESPONSE TEAM