Northern Michigan's News LeaderHealthy Living: Hope For HIV

Healthy Living: Hope For HIV

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By Robyn Haines, Anchor - bio | email

Since the first cases of aids were reported back in 1981, more than 600-thousand Americans have died. But thanks to advances in treatment the one-point-one million people living with HIV in the U.S. are living longer then ever before. Robyn Haines has your Healthy Living.

 

With seven kids of their own, the Twietmeyers opened their home to six more from Ethiopia, two with HIV. Nine out of ten children with HIV are infected by their mother, like Selah. When the Twietmeyers went to Africa to adopt her, she was near death-- 11 years old and just 32 pounds in stage four aids. But now she's thriving. Today with twice daily medication, Selah's viral load is undetectable.

 

Thirty years ago someone diagnosed with aids had about a year to live...but thanks to improvements in antiretroviral therapy, doctors now classify aids as a chronic illness...much like diabetes, which can be controlled with medication. Studies show the life expectancy of a person newly diagnosed with HIV has jumped from seven years to 24. Still there is no cure. But scientists are exploring two new possibilities: gene therapy to make cells resistant to HIV and therapeutic vaccines to control it.

 

While the outlook for those with HIV is getting better, an estimated 56-thousand Americans will become infected this year. To learn how you can help a child like Selah with HIV, log onto www.projecthopeful.org