LoveNotes – November/December 2002 Issue
| SisterLove – LoveNotes – November/December 2002 | ||
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MESSAGE FROM DÁZONGreetings LoveNotes Community! Wow! What a year it has been. At this moment, we are still so busy, that it is challenging to find time to reflect on all of our accomplishments in 2002, our lessons learned, and our future strategies for continuing to affect change in women’s knowledge of and behavior around reproductive health and risks. As I reflect from where I sit, I must first take a moment to acknowledge our newest ancestors in this past year, especially Cynthia Bolton and Valerie Tucker, former members of our programs who, until the end of their journey, fought to live with hope, in love and with faith. We welcome and appreciate their watchful spirits into our realm. This year we have received and shared many gifts, gifts that express SisterLove’s determination to be a resource for women in our immediate community and for women everywhere. Some of the gifts that deserve mention are:
We have often said that SisterLove is a small organization with a big mission and big goals. We look back on all that we have accomplished this year with pride and with a sense of what can, and will, come next. Each year is a foundation for the next, a step toward a world of more and better choices for women. In the coming year much of our focus will be on strengthening, establishing and utilizing collaborations with individuals, organizations and entity’s concerned about the reproductive and sexual health and rights of all women, particularly those of color and those at high risk for HIV. SisterLove’s planned activities for 2003 include:
After over 18 years in the AIDS and reproductive health movements I am still humbled by the people who step forward, who make a personal commitment to make a difference in our communities. They remind me of my own choice and the reasons why I began, and continue, this important work. The AIDS movement is now over 20 years old and the reproductive health movement began over 40 years ago. Even before these movements were named, women, everyday women, put their lives and their reputations on the line to demand consideration, information and real choices. So much work remains. Women’s risk for HIV is increasing, particularly for women of African, Latin, Mexican or South American descent. Sadly, according to recent statistics, older women (those age 45 and above) have joined the ranks of those at increased risk, accounting for 18% of women living with AIDS in North America. While some cite a decrease in the spread of HIV, the sad reality is that this decrease does not reflect women’s experiences. We must increase our efforts to organize and mobilize. We must demand that women’s voices, every woman’s voice, is represented in the policies, politics and efforts of organizations, community leaders and movements formed to address these causes. We must insist that movements not only include us, but be about us and worthy of us. We must work together and not give into those who would rather see us fight amongst ourselves and compete for dwindling dollars and resources. We must look beyond our own backyard and understand the larger picture, the greater implication and meaning of human struggles everywhere. By using multiple frameworks and strategies to break down barriers to understanding and action, we recognize that our struggle is part of THE struggle for human dignity and quality of life. On behalf of the SisterLove family, I thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work. With you, we look forward to another year of service, growth and love. In Health and Wellness, Dázon VOLUNTEERS HONORED Board President, Dr. Ron Braithwaite, and staff expressed sincere appreciation for each volunteer’s personal decision to make a difference in the lives of others. The Reception was a special time to honor countless women and men who have inspired and enacted change since SisterLove’s founding in 1989. On this day, the volunteers listed below ceremoniously joined the ranks of everyday heroines and heroes who have contributed to a legacy of service and activism that has, so far, spanned thirteen years. VOLUNTEERS HONORED – NOVEMBER 2002 Administrative Support: Housing & Support Services (LoveHouse): Public Relations & Communication: Members of SisterLove’s electronic newsletter committee were honored for their efforts to insure that SisterLove’s friends, colleagues and those concerned about the reproductive and sexual health and rights of women are kept informed of SisterLove’s work. Kinaya Ade, Cynthia Roberson, McKalvin Cooper and Aprille Blair were recognized for the assistance, insight and inspiration that they have provided staff and for their desire to share information about issues impacting the reproductive and sexual health and rights of women with people around the world. Their work has given SisterLove the opportunity to build relationships and strengthen connections with friends, new and old, who have share our vision and commitment. Fundraising: Dear Sister Love, My sister said that I shouldn’t use the condoms I bought a few months back because of the spermicide. She didn’t explain why. I don’t want to throw them out, I just bought them and they don’t expire until 2004. Can you tell me why they’re no good? Signed, Albertha Greetings Albertha! Your sister is probably concerned about the spermicide Nonoxynol-9. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on a study that indicated that Nonoxynol-9 (N-9) was shown to aid in the transmission of HIV. Eventhough subsequent studies have shown similar findings, some manufacturers of popular brands, like LifeStyles and Trojan, continue to make condoms that are lubricated with N-9. More responsible condom manufacturers, like the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Mayer Laboratories, have responded by discontinuing production of condoms with N-9. The best advice available today is to avoid condoms that are lubricated with N-9. Bottom line, your sister passed on some good advice. You are blessed to have her looking out for you. One Love, .. . .. While Sister Love is not an actual person, all questions are read and answered by a SisterLove staff person, volunteer or an individual with relevant expertise. Information contained within responses is not meant to substitute for medical advice. SisterLove strongly encourages individuals to consult with a physician, medical or health professional for all medical concerns. For more information about Nonoxynol-9 check out the following websites and the article below written by Anna Forbes, AIDS Activist and Educator. ONLINE RESOURCES FOR INFO ON NONOXYNOL-9 Global Campaign for Microbicides: Planned Parenthood Federation of America: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: NAM Publications: SAY NO TO N-9! Remember nonoxynol-9 (N-9)? It is the active ingredient in most over-the-counter birth control products. Some condoms are also coated with N-9. But here’s something you should know: New research has shown that, while these products work for birth control, they do not reduce your risk of HIV. In fact, they might increase it. N-9 is designed to kill sperm and has been used for birth control for over 50 years. In the 1980s, scientists found out that N-9 can kill HIV and some other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). So they started testing to see if N-9 could be used as a microbicide — something to put in the vagina or rectum before sex to reduce the risk of getting HIV or another STD. Overall, the research showed that low-dose N-9 products used a few times a week were safe. But using higher-dose products, or using N-9 products frequently (more than once a day), can irritate the vagina and may make it easier for HIV to get into a woman’s blood stream if she is exposed to it. In July 2000, a study showed that frequent use of even a very low-dose product could be irritating. So the Centers for Disease Control announced that people should not use N-9 for disease prevention. They even said that plain lubricated condoms were safer than condoms with N-9 on them — although using an N-9 condom is still safer than no condom at all. In October 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) held a big meeting on N-9 with experts from around the world. The experts decided that: (-) N-9 is not effective at preventing the transmission of HIV or other STDs and should not be used or promoted for disease prevention. (-) N-9 products (alone or used with a diaphragm or cervical cap) are a good birth control option for some women. But N-9 may also increase a woman’s chances of getting infected if she is exposed to HIV. So women at risk of HIV, especially those having sex more than once a day, should not use N-9 for birth control. (-) Women who have low or no risk of HIV can continue to use N-9 for birth control unless it causes them irritation. (-) Products with N-9 should never be used for anal sex. The rectum is more fragile than the vagina. Even the very small amount of N-9 on condoms and in lubes can damage the rectum and increase HIV risk. (-) There is no proof that condoms with N-9 provide better protection from pregnancy or infection than plain lubricated condoms. Since N-9 condoms may cause irritation, they should not be promoted. Condoms and lubes containing N-9 are still widely available in drug stores, sex shops and in some clinics and agencies. In September 2002, a large group of advocates and scientists called on manufacturers to stop making condoms and lubes with N-9. The group also urged consumers to read product labels carefully and avoid products containing N-9 (unless they chose to use them for birth control and were not at risk of HIV). The advocates also called for more research to find a microbicide that really will protect people from infection. Safe, effective microbicides are urgently needed and can be developed, they said. But N-9 is not one of them. For more information about microbicides, contact the Global Campaign for Microbicides at 202-454-5048 or www.global-campaign.org . Anna Forbes is a writer, teacher and community organizer who has been working on HIV/AIDS issues since 1985. Reprinted courtesy of www.PositiveWords.com © 2002 by Dallabrida & Associates EXPANDING YOUR SPIRIT: TELL YOUR OWN STORY Another year is coming to a close, and HIStory is about to be told concerning 2002. In these final months, as you close your eyes to dream, what will you use for inspiration? We often dwell on a past that has failed to bring healing, and a future that someone else dreamed for us, while forgetting to tell our own story. Think of life as a novel. Everyday that you are blessed to breath, life becomes another chapter in your own personal novel. In that novel lies mystery, suspense, love, hate, fear, comedy, spirituality, heartbreak, regret, elation, ecstasy and pain. It is all encompassing. It is your novel. It is your story. No one can tell it like you can. No one can feel it like you do. No matter how similar, no one has your experiences. There is much to be told. There are chapters to be added. This year is not done. Hurry, hurry, hurry and finish this year’s story, for next year requires a new novel, with its own joy and pain. These final months, desire to dream of a story that has not been told. They are searching for a melody that has yet to be felt, a poem that has not been spoken, and a novel that has yet to be written: Your Story! My dear sistahs and brothas, let HIStory be his, let HERstory be hers, let neither story be yours; for you must tell your own story. The year cannot be dreamed without it. Blessings be upon you and yours this holiday season. I bid you peace. .. . .. HEALTH WISDOM: ENDOMETRIOSIS “Estimates of the numbers of women who suffer from endometriosis vary wildly. Some put the figure at 15% of women in their reproductive years. 10% is a more common guess. Nearly 90 million women world-wide has been proposed as a conservative figure. The fact is that there is no way to establish accurate figures (..). But if only 10% of women have it, that makes endometriosis one of the most common diseases on the face of the earth. More common than AIDS – more common than cancer.” http://www.endometriosis.org Endometriosis is a disease affecting an estimated 2 million women and girls in the United States who have begun menstruating or who “have their period”. Despite the vast number of women and teens in the world suffering from endometriosis, the disease remains under-diagnosed, under-researched, under-funded and under-treated. There is still, as yet, no definitive cure. One definition of endometriosis is “an abnormal growth of endometrial cells”. What happens is that endometrial tissue forms outside the uterus. This tissue then develops into small growths or tumors. These growths are usually benign (noncancerous) and are simply a normal type of tissue in an abnormal location. The most common location of these endometrial growths is in the rectum, the bladder, and in the pelvic region, which affects the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, the ligaments supporting the uterus, the outer surface of the uterus, and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Forty to 50 percent of the growths are in the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Since these growths are in fact pieces of uterine lining, they behave like uterine lining, responding to a woman’s hormonal or menstrual cycle. These growths think they’re in the uterus and consequently, during menstruation, begin to “shed”. Unfortunately, since there’s no vagina for the growths to pass through, the result is internal bleeding, degeneration of the blood and tissue being shed from the growths, inflammation of the surrounding areas, and formation of scar tissue. Depending on where these growths are located, they can rupture and spread to new areas, cause intestinal bleeding or obstruction (if they’re in or near the intestines), or interfere with bladder function (if they’re on or near the bladder). Infertility affects about 30 to 40 percent of women with endometriosis, and as the disease progresses, infertility is often inevitable. Although many women never experience symptoms, the most common symptoms of endometriosis are pain before and during periods (much worse than normal menstrual cramps), pain during or after intercourse, and heavy or irregular bleeding. Other symptoms may include extreme fatigue, painful bowel movements with periods, lower back pain with periods, diarrhea and/or constipation with periods, and intestinal upset with periods. If the bladder is involved, there may be painful urination and blood in the urine with periods. Irregular menstrual cycles and heavier flows are also associated with endometriosis, but women with severe endometriosis usually continue to have regular, albeit painful, periods. Nobody knows for certain what causes endometriosis, but currently environmental factors are identified as the chief cause. Recently, man-made chemicals have been found to be breaking down into our environment into a substance that mimics estrogen. These “environmental estrogens” as they’re called, are being linked to an alarming increase in estrogen-dependent conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, and a variety of reproductive cancers. Currently, health care providers use a number of tests for endometriosis. Sometimes, they will use imaging tests to produce a “picture” of the inside of the body, which allows them to locate larger endometriosis areas, such as nodules or cysts. The two most common imaging tests are ultrasound, a machine that uses sound waves to make the picture, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a machine that uses magnets and radio waves to make the picture. Eventhough there is some discussion about the use of ultrasounds to diagnosis endometriosis, it is generally accepted that endometriosis can only be successfully diagnosed with an instrument called a laparoscope (a tube like telescope with a light in it), used in a procedure known as laparoscopy. After a general anesthetic is administered, a woman’s abdomen is expanded with carbon dioxide gas to make the organs easier to see. A tiny incision is made, and a laparoscope is inserted into it. By moving the laparoscope around, a surgeon can check for any signs of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Although doctors can often feel the endometrial growths during a pelvic exam, few would risk confirming the diagnosis without performing a laparoscopy procedure. Often, the symptoms of ovarian cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a host of other ailments mimic those of endometriosis. Because of this, it is important to have your diagnosis confirmed. Living with endometriosis is challenging not only because of the physical symptoms of the disease but also because little is known about its cause and how to lessen it’s impact. In 1995, at a meeting of physicians, researchers and activists, Mary Lou Ballweg, then President and Executive Director of the Endometriosis Association, shared a patient’s perspective that holds true today. “Endometriosis can be, from the patient’s point of view, a nightmare of misinformation, myths, taboos, delayed diagnoses, and problematic, hit-and-miss treatments overlaid on a painful, chronic, stubborn disease,” she said. Like most chronic illnesses, endometriosis affects women’s physical, emotional and spiritual health. In order to counter these effects, women must learn how to communicate their needs and feelings with loved ones and health providers, stay on top of information about their illness and treatment options and balance the demands of family, work and friends while respecting their need for rest and solitude. A woman’s ability to manage stress and tend to her physical, emotional and spiritual needs directly affects her experience with endometriosis just as endometriosis directly affects her ability to live fully and contentedly. It’s a delicate balance for any woman but more than worth the effort to master. Sources and Other Online Resources: Online Medical Resource: National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Endometriosis Association: Endometriosis Research Center: Endometriosis Web-Ring (collection of websites about endometriosis): Endometriosis Awareness and Information Network hosted by the Endometriosis Research Center: Mendo: Online Resource and Support for Men Whose Significant Others/Family Members are Living with Endometriosis: A READER’S RESPONSE: BUILDING INTIMACY WITHOUT SEX Editor’s Note: The September issue of LoveNotes included a commentary written by a young man, McKalvin Cooper, about building intimacy in a relationship without sex. McKalvin’s wise and thought-provoking words inspired responses from a few readers. Below is one of those responses. To review McKalvin’s article in the Sept 2002 LoveNotes, visit SisterLove online. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. It is very interesting to see the situation from a man’s point of view. This is the same type of advice any good friend would give to one of her girlfriends, but coming from a man, it has a different affect. Some women are quick to turn a deaf ear to advice that does not agree with their flesh. They push it aside or simply place it in the “she is jealous of me” category in their minds. But when this type of truth comes from a man, it is simply impossible to ignore. So I thank you for explaining to many women what’s really on the minds of some men. “A man will not stand on a hill he has conquered but for so long before he moves on to the next conquest”. That statement leaves little room for women to justify, explain away or rationalize poor decision making when they choose to believe that they have a commitment when they do not. I appreciate the way you made the distinction between women who are looking for a relationship and women who are looking for a good time. Because many women do not make this distinction in their minds, far too often the benefits belonging to the “right man” are given to the “right-now man.” How can you act appropriately when you don’t decide what you want in the first place? I think it is also important to let females know that if standing their ground and holding on to their beliefs results in a man leaving, it is not a reflection of the type of woman she is, but rather of the type of man he is not. Thank you again for shedding the light. AGAINST THE ODDS, COMPANY WORKS ON AIDS VACCINE VaxGen’s AIDSVAX vaccine is based on some of the earliest knowledge of HIV and is the only HIV vaccine currently in Phase III clinical trials – the last step before a vaccine or drug maker can seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration. About 30 other vaccines are in earlier stages of human testing. Unlike those using a live but weakened or “killed” virus, AIDSVAX uses two proteins based on the gp-120 protein found on the outside envelope of the virus. The hope is the body’s immune system can become sensitized to anything carrying gp-120 and will mount a response to the virus. Results from the trial, which started in June 1998, will be revealed early next year. VaxGen has immunized two-thirds of the 5,400 volunteers in its first Phase III trial – 5,000 homosexual or bisexual men and 400 women considered to be at high risk of getting HIV. No one knows who got the real vaccine and who got the placebo shot; this information will be “unblinded” early next year. Researchers hope fewer vaccinated subjects than unvaccinated subjects will develop HIV. Dr. Ronald Francis, founder and president of VaxGen, said trials in chimpanzees showed it worked well. “I’m confident from the chimpanzees that the vaccine will be efficacious. The question is, how efficacious,” he said. “Everybody who gets the vaccine has a good antibody response,” Francis said. He hopes measurements of antibody levels will work as a correlate to show whether the vaccine is working. Even if just 20 percent of those vaccinated are immune to HIV infection, Francis believes this could have an impact on the AIDS epidemic. Vaccinated volunteers who do become infected will be followed for two years to see if the vaccine at least makes HIV grow more slowly in the body. HIV subtype B is found mostly in Europe, the Americas and Japan, while subtypes A, C, D and E are spreading in Africa and Asia. The first version of AIDSVAX, tested in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, targets the B subtype. A B/E subtype vaccine is being tested in Thailand in trials that will finish at the end of next year. .. . .. AIDS LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN AIDS is the leading killer of women in South Africa and is claiming increasing numbers of lives every year, according to a government survey released Thursday. AIDS-related illnesses were responsible for 9.8 percent of female deaths in South Africa in 2001, up from 5.6 percent in 1997, the Statistics South Africa (SSA) survey showed. The percentage of AIDS-related deaths among all South Africans rose to 8.7 percent in 2001 from 4.6 percent in 1997, the report said. South African women are more at risk than men for contracting HIV because of biological vulnerability and their lack of control in sexual relationships. A combined 41 percent of all deaths from 1997-2001 were attributed to tuberculosis, flu and pneumonia – diseases commonly associated with AIDS – as well as AIDS itself, the report said. The government report comes more than a year after the quasi-governmental Medical Research Council released a report saying AIDS would account for one-third of all deaths in South Africa in 2001 and nearly two-thirds by 2010 without radical changes in personal behavior and more government action to fight the disease. At the time, SSA called the study badly flawed, saying the study samples were not representative and assumptions about the probability of HIV transmission were not necessarily accurate. The government had tried to delay the release of the MRC report to coincide with the SSA report, originally scheduled to be published last December. MRC epidemiologist Debbie Bradshaw said Thursday the difference between the reports was due to SSA’s reliance on information written on death certificates, where AIDS deaths are routinely underreported. The government shared Bradshaw’s view, saying AIDS fatalities were likely higher than SSA reported. Some of the 10 percent of deaths SSA blamed on ill-defined natural causes also were likely due to AIDS, Bradshaw said. .. . .. CDC REPORTS ON SISTERLOVE PROJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA CDC and USAID have provided funding which ends in 2002 to the NGO Linkages Project. This project facilitates the exchange of information through partnerships between US domestic non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and NGOs in developing counties. Funding was provided to SisterLove, Inc. a US based NGO that developed linkages with the Positive Women’s Network and the Society for Women with AIDS in Africa called Women’s HIV/AIDS Partnership (WHARP). Through the exchange of information, training, technical assistance, resources, and best practices, WHARP has provided a basis for understanding how community-based partnerships can strengthen local HIV/AIDS prevention efforts at the grassroots level. CDC South Africa provided funding for WHARP reflection meeting that examined the successes and challenges of the project. .. . .. SISTERLOVE CLOSED DECEMBER 23RD – JANUARY 3RD SisterLove’s administrative offices will be closed from December 23rd to January 3rd. During this time, housing program staff will continue to provide services to the women and children of LoveHouse but will not be available to the general public.
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| LoveNotes is produced with the assistance of a committee of volunteers and is edited by Kozetta Jane Harris of SisterLove’s staff. Volunteers involved in producing this issue are: Kinaya Jolomi Ade and Cynthia Roberson.
For more information about SisterLove, or articles appearing in this issue, contact Kozetta Jane Harris by email at kharris@sisterlove.org, by phone at 404-753-7733 or by mail at P.O. Box 10558, Atlanta, GA 30310. SisterLove is on a mission to eradicate the impact of HIV/AIDS and other reproductive health challenges upon women and their families through education, prevention, support and human rights advocacy in the United States and around the world. SisterLove’s greatly appreciates the financial support provided by: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS : Fulton County Department of Human Services : Gertrude E. Wardlaw Trust : Ms Foundation : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : Public Welfare Foundation. SisterLove is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Contact us today regarding opportunities to volunteer and to make a contribution in support of women and families affected by HIV/AIDS. You are invited to visit SisterLove online. “Healthy Loving is Healthy Living” www.sisterlove.org |