noco aids project

spreading awareness, providing hope

by vanessa van ry & heather goodrich

photo by katie stevens

In 1994, nine years after the initial diagnosis of HIV, Jeff Basinger found out that his t-cells had dropped below 200, which meant his HIV had progressed into AIDS. But Basinger wasn’t going to support the fear that surrounded HIV and AIDS.

What he did support was making changes in his nutrition, exercise, and meditation without any sort of western medication. Instead he opted for eastern therapies like acupuncture, massage, nutritional therapy, and chiropractic care. After the news, it took Basinger a week to tell his younger sister and mother, but it took several years to tell his other siblings. Fortunately, his entire family and close friends support him, but he also knew at the time, he was under informed about HIV.

“I didn’t immediately buy the death sentence routine that people were prescribing,” Basinger said.

Now, working as the executive director of the Northern Colorado AIDS Project, Basinger helps others with the disease he’s been fighting for 23 years. Before working at NCAP, he worked at the Western Colorado AIDS Project, both of which are nonprofit organizations working to raise awareness and education about HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

“I actually was part of the advisory committee that started WCAP back in 1987,” Basinger said. “At that time, all AIDS Projects’ main functions were to help people die from AIDS and to help their families cope with that process.”

Now, it’s much different. According to the NCAP Web site, they’re the only Ryan White-funded service organization in Northern Colorado. This funding emphasizes life-extending and saving services for those living with HIV and AIDS who are poor, reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“About 90 percent of our clients at NCAP are near or below federal poverty level,” Basinger said. “HIV and AIDS in the United States is affecting the most marginalized, the most hidden of our population.”

Gretchen Emick, a case manager and prevention specialist at NCAP, said they try to advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS and help improve their quality of life living with the disease.

“The organization provides a two-fold assistance to people with HIV with cares such as rent, utilities, and food,” Emick said.

In addition to providing financial assistance, the case managers and prevention staff help educate people. This includes counseling, confidential HIV and Hepatitis C testing, health care referrals, and supplies for safer sex and drug use. However, the key to their operation is awareness. Not only does NCAP try to educate people coming into their facility, but people within the community itself, too. Their aim is to talk about the misperceptions, preventative measures and how HIV and AIDS are contracted, which their Web site states will “help reduce the spread and stigma of the disease.”

According to the Colorado AIDS project Web site, HIV attacks a person’s immune system. It is contracted through any type of unprotected sex (vaginal, oral or anal) or through sharing intravenous needles. If a woman is pregnant and HIV positive, she can pass it to her child in the womb, during labor or if the child drinks her breast milk. If infected with HIV, there’s a 5 percent possibility they may not develop AIDS.

“A person is said to have AIDS when they develop one of several opportunistic infections, or he or she has a CD4 lymphocyte count of less than 200,” the CAP Web site stated. “Common viruses, bacteria, protozoa or fungi that a normal immune system combats easily cause these infections. In a weakened immune system, these organisms can cause severe, life-threatening illnesses.”

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment report that there are approximately 10,000 people living with HIV or AIDS, which is why education is necessary. NCAP participates in several events in the community, which includes booths at volunteer fairs, speaking on panels in classroom settings and they also started AIDS awareness campaigns on the Colorado State University campus.

“HIV is a global public health crisis that people need to realize is in our own backyard and we have the resources to help bridge the gap,” Basinger said.

To continue to bridge the gap, on Dec. 1, NCAP plans to participate in events to support World AIDS Day on campus with Hartshorn Health Services. Lynn Kalert, the culture care advocate at HHS said there will be a candle light vigil, a documentary film and free HIV testing in the Plaza. On the same day, NCAP is hosting an art event about the growth of AIDS at the Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art.

Daily, Basinger fights not only for the health of people seeking assistance with NCAP, but he keeps fighting his own terminal case of AIDS, so when speaking about it, he tries to find some humor.

“There are days when my liver hurts or on days when I have a really bad cough I go, ‘Oh god, here it is,’” he said with a laugh.

Basinger continues to hold strong in refusing any western medications because the alternative therapies have worked for him and haven’t been as hard on his body.

“I feel very blessed in life, actually, and have kind of lived life intuitively and creatively and have managed to be in the right place at the right time. I think I’m the odd duck,” Basinger said.

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