[ad_1]
She owes her life, according to Marjolein Annegarn, to two special people: Els Borst, who, as Minister of Public Health, made sure to speed up the combination therapy and the charismatic Dr. Joep Lange, who died in the 39, MH17 accident. "They both lost their lives in a terrible way.I would die of AIDS before my thirtieth and I am now in two months 56. They have done so much for the world around them.An additional motivation for me as a photographer to highlight issues that affect society. "
If you have cancer, no one will ask you how you got this disease. If you think you are HIV-positive, the reaction quickly follows: "how did you get that" or "how can you be so stupid"? HIV is automatically linked to homosexuals, prostitutes and drug addicts. A monogamous woman who catches the virus has something to explain.
Marjolein Annegarn GARN Photography
Marjolein Annegarn: "In every interview I give the question" how did you get it? "Quickly If you think about it now, I dare to be open about it, unlike many others, I think I have nothing to hide. nothing was wrong, it was at the end of the time when we, as women, dared to enjoy sex without being carefree.You were assured that you had taken the pill if you did not want to get pregnant and that's all.Information targeted at sexually transmitted diseases, such as relatively safe campaigns, have not yet been provided.My boyfriend, as it appeared later, loved both women and men.I was 24 years old when i was infected and 25 years old when i discovered it. I started giving blood for the first time. In my family, it is a kind of tradition to be a blood donor. My dad and my sister did it and I liked it. I've also decided to register for this. After the first appointment, a letter was received with the announcement that, as it was formulated literally, a different determination had been found in my blood. I was not immediately alarmed, I thought it would not be too bad. At that time, I never thought about HIV.
Not more than thirty years old
It was said that she would not be more than thirty years old. "The next day, I went to work, I did not change my life radically, I decided to continue to enjoy all that I have already done." I enjoyed my job and I did not feel the need to stop.I told my dad and my mother-in-law – my mother died when I was a kid, my older sister and some good friends.Any quickly to my boss.I have had a very good contact with him.And I am not someone who can carry secrets with me.I have had a relationship permanent for nine months when i heard it.It turned out not to be infected, happy.Honosexual men are far less sensitive than women. "
His relationship, who did not feel Well, did not dare to break it. "If I had not heard that I had the virus, it probably ended, I did not dare to cut this knot, after all I would die and I did not want to be alone." Unjust fear, I say after. "
Love can not be forced
Love can not be forced:" Eventually, I realized that I would prefer to be alone in this relationship. "and to this day, she could not imagine it at all.
Twice she was sick at the AMC, as Amsterdam UMC was still called, at the AIDS Department. "I finally have two people in my life, Els Borst is sure that the so-called therapeutic combination, already used in America, could be administered directly to Dutch patients with AIDS." She fought for that in 1996. If the usual protocol had been followed and the drug had been tested again, it would have been too late for me.The second person to whom I owe life is the internist Joep Lange. He was not only my doctor, but he eventually became my friend Joep decided to treat me so that he was not allowed according to the rules.The new drugs would not be administered in the same way. trial to patients who had already taken AZT. I was treated with. "
AZT was the first remedy that seemed to work for AIDS patients, but ultimately he only seemed to delay the process of the disease. In addition, this first HIV inhibitor has had very unpleasant side effects. Nevertheless, the arrival of AZT has been important. Among other things, for the further development of an effective approach.
Only 42 kilos
Back to Joep Lange, who decided to treat her despite AZT with the new combi-drug. "At that moment, I only weighed 42 kilos, Joep is sure I ended up in a lawsuit, that's how he was, he liked to color outside the lines."
"C & # 39; is so weird, I'm still here and Joep and Els Borst are no longer there because they lost their lives by force Joep literally saved millions of lives in Africa and he was so excited. These unconventional statements, as in the discussion about Africa: "It flickers, but not negroes." I miss it terribly, especially this week, which is about the international AIDS conference in Amsterdam. speaks a lot about him. "
His" Stigma Project ", an exhibition that can now be seen on the Museumplein as part of the AIDS Congress, is dedicated to the famous AIDS activist killed during the # 39; plane crash MH17. . In the book of reading and reading that accompanies the project, she writes: "The truth is the truth." For Joep Lange (1954-2014), internist, friend and man who saved my life. "[19659019] For the special public exhibition, Marjolein made a series of portraits of people unrecognizable with HIV. Men and women do not dare to show their true face because they can not or do not want to talk about their HIV infection for various reasons. "Ironically, as an activist photographer who says publicly that she has HIV, I have now portrayed people who are hiding."
Traumatic Experience
"I understand, you know. Take Peter. His complaint was made against him because he is positive. An incredibly traumatic experience. So fake too. I repeat my mission statement to the extent possible: HIV-positive people who are successfully treated can no longer transmit the virus to their partners, can have healthy children and have a life expectancy equal to that of somebody else. one who does not have HIV. I also do not need to make love safe with my husband. But people do not want to believe it. You also experience prejudices in health care. Bizarre. Recently, I had to do some research at the hospital. The nurse was throwing up with my infusion. "I've never done that with gloves," he apologized. He must know that I am not contagious. I take my medication, I am adherent to the therapy. That you must always provide information to doctors and caregivers; I can get angry about it. If they do not want to understand it … I also had to inform my dentist. I've always been programmed as the last patient. "That there is enough time to disinfect everything properly," she explained. I was stunned and I replied, "I can hope that you disinfect these instruments after each patient, because there may also be people in the chair who have not yet been diagnosed of HIV or any other disease. "
This virus, I am told. When that did not happen, I fell into a deep black hole. I was so focused on a short life. When I crept up from the depth, I started to study photography. As a photographer, I am now doing a lot for the HIV community. It enriches. Recently, I told my husband, "You would not have HIV, which would lead you to a boring life."
The Positive Flame
Marjolein Annegarn is one of the relay of the positive flame. This torchlight procession in downtown Amsterdam today is Wednesday, July 25 from 4 pm to seek global attention to HIV-positive people.
US activist Peter Staley lights the torch and passes it to the French laureate Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. She discovered the HIV virus in 1984. Timothy Brown, the only one cured of HIV, brings the flame to the end. Other torchbearers of all ages living in the Netherlands with HIV, each with a different diagnostic year. The first torchbearer was diagnosed in 1984, the year of the discovery of the HIV virus. The last one in 2018. The intention is that the torch relay now takes place at all the international congresses on AIDS. At the end of the congress, the positive flame will be awarded to the representatives of the next host country. Starting this year, the positive flame will be an integral part of international conferences on AIDS
This year, the Amsterdam tour will explicitly draw attention to people living with HIV and AIDS in the world. regions where the epidemic is currently experiencing dramatic growth. -Europe.
[ad_2]
Source link
