Patients Personal Stories

*to protect the identity of patients and their families, names have been changed and locations kept anonymous. All other facts are accurate. Thank you for your support.

My name is Ken. I am 21 months old, and I am HIV positive.

My mother found out she was infected after I was born. My father was furious that she was tested, so he left both of us. We moved into a small apartment for the two of us. My mother had no way of getting formula for me, so she continued to breast feed me. Doctors told her many times to stop. She was finally given money to pay for the formula, but I had a hard time adjusting. I would cry because I just wanted to be close with my mother. I was too weak to hold my own head up, and I weighed less than 10 pounds. People thought I was a brand new baby because I was so small. After many months of counseling, the doctors decided that I could handle the medications needed for me to fight against HIV. With the medications and the formula, I started to grow stronger. I was able to smile, laugh, and move my arms. Unfortunately, it was all too late. I got sick one weekend and it was too much for my body to handle.
I lost the fight against AIDS.

My name is Renee. I am 42 years old, and I am HIV positive.

I became very sick last year and suspected that I might be infected. I went to the doctor and got tested. When it came back positive, the nursing staff told me that I had to tell my husband to get tested. When I tried to talk to him about it, he refused and said that I was unfaithful and became infected through another man. I am the mother of 3 boys, ages 14, 10, and 5. After I found out I was infected, I worried for my 5 year old John. My husband would not let me get him tested, but I snuck to the hospital one day to get John tested. The lab lost the results, and we couldn’t pay to get him tested again. I worry for both my husband and my little John, but I am unable to work and have no money to pay for treatment for myself or my family. I pray that they are healthy, but I know that they are probably sick like me. I hope my husband will let them get tested before it is too late.

I continue to fight against HIV.

My name is Lauren. I am 6 years old, and I am HIV positive.

I lost my father to AIDS when I was 2 years old. I then lost my mother 2 years later. My grandmother and aunties take care of me now, along with my 5 cousins. It is a small house for all of us, but I am so lucky to have them take care of me. We do not have money for me to go to the doctor, but New Seed International has someone who sponsors me to help pay for my school fees and medical bills. I go to school now, but no one there knows that I am infected. My feet get very dry and cracked, which makes them bleed. I was given Vaseline, socks, and shoes to protect me and other people from me. Children started making fun of me because I was the only person wearing socks, which makes me very embarrassed. I don’t understand why I am sick and other children are not. I just want to be normal and be able to play with other children.

I continue to fight against HIV.

My name is William. I am 41 years old, and I am HIV positive.

My wife has been my best friend since we were in Senior Secondary School. We decided to get married and start a family together. We then found out we were both HIV positive. Last year I felt my life was over- I lost my best friend, my wife, and the mother of my children to this dreadful disease. I then also found out that both our sons were infected. They are so young and already have so much hardship in front of them. I have to work two jobs in order to keep our family healthy- I am a teacher at the Polytechnic School during the days and then I do private computer consulting when I can to make money for my children. Because I have to work such long days, I can’t take care of my boys anymore. They now live with their grandmother. Unfortunately, they live over 3 hours away from where I work. I feel so alone in this world, but know that I am doing what is best for my family.

I continue to fight against HIV.

My name is Kevin. I am 6 years old, and I am HIV positive.

My mother found out we were both HIV positive after we became sick. My father died a couple months later from AIDS, and now my mother is unable to work because of her deteriorating condition. I am the youngest of seven children, but when my brothers and sisters found out that my mother, father, and I were infected, they didn’t want to be around us anymore. At first my mother was ashamed of how I looked because I was so sick. She would travel to seek treatment for herself, but left me at home so no one would find out that I was infected. I did not see a doctor for many months, and I became weaker and sicker as the months went on. New Seed International came to my house and convinced my mother to let them take me to the doctor. I am now receiving treatment which hopefully will help me grow big and strong.

I continue to fight against HIV.

My name is Martha. I am 53 years old, and I am HIV positive.

I married when I was young, and had four beautiful children. I worked as a nursery school teacher, but my husband could not find work in our small village. He moved to Accra, the capital of Ghana, in order to find work for himself. He would come home on the weekends but overtime became angry with us. He became very abusive. He would rape me in front of our children, spit on me, yell and hit me, and throw me into the fire. Our children grew such hatred towards him that they moved as far away as they could. As time went on, he started to become very weak. Soon after, I became sick as well. We both went to the doctor and discovered we were HIV positive. He fought against AIDS for 1 year, but he did not win. I struggle every day now to make ends meet. I am unable to work because the community knows of my status. My children are still so upset with their father ruining our family, that they no longer want to be around me because I stayed by his side until he died. I am alienated, unable to work, and often starving because I have no money. I try every day to get my strength back, and with my trust in God I know that I will survive.

I continue to fight against HIV.

My name is Emma. I am 12 years old, and I am HIV positive.

Like many children my age who are infected, I received the virus from my mother. When I was six years old, my father passed away. I was cared for by my mother and New Seed International. One day, we walked into the office and my mother collapsed. That day I became an orphan. I lived with my grandmother for a year, until she passed away as well. I then went to live with my only living relative- my uncle who cared for 5 of his own children as well. We were very crowded, but he tried the best he could to provide for all of us. After 3 years, we had no money, and he had no way of caring for me any more. I was dropped off at an orphanage. After 1 week, the orphanage returned me and said that they would not care for a smelly infected girl like me. I was taken back to my village and an elderly woman cared for me. She was unable to cook because she was so weak, so I went many days without food. I felt so alone and abandoned.

While my story is filled with sadness, I am here to bring you hope. My life changed the day my white friend came to the old lady’s house and took me away from my village. I held her tight while we drove 2 hours away to my new home- an orphanage for children like me. Today, I am fed 4 meals a day, given my medications regularly, and surrounded by peers who play with me, laugh with me, learn with me, and love me.

With a history of death, abandonment, and loneliness, there is one vital word: history. Now surrounded by my new family, I am showed unconditional love by adults and my peers, something I have never known before. While I still have the heartache of the past, I have something now that I didn’t have before: the promise of a future. I continue to face many obstacles with my health and academics, but I work to overcome them every day. My new family is filled with brothers and sisters all working together to survive similar struggles and celebrate similar triumphs. I am here to tell you that miracles happen and that every day is part of the fight, but this is a fight I know that I will win.

I continue to fight against HIV.