We have three case studies on our website:  Tom's Story, Mary's Story and Ian's Story.

Mary's Story

Hi, I'm Mary, and I was admitted to St John's in-patient unit with chronic sickness and diarrhoea due to my HIV positive status. I am only 33 years old, and financially, things are a struggle.  In the early days of my diagnosis, I found it very difficult to come to terms with what HIV would mean to my life, and felt that really, my life was basically over.

After a short stay in the residential unit, the team helped me to gain control of my symptoms, and taught me how to manage these more effectively.  They also applied for charitable funds to help me buy food and clothing, as well as helping me to resolve my housing problems.  I started to feel as if I was getting back in control of my life, and that there might be something good to look forward to.

When I was discharged from the Unit, I started to attend the Day Services Centre.  Meeting other people in similar situations to me, working through my feelings using paint and clay, and just being with people who really understood how I was feeling made an enormous difference to me.

I do computer courses at the Centre, and I feel much more confident and focused on getting the most out of my life.  I may be HIV+, but now, thanks to the friends I've made at St John's, and the support that I receive there, I focus on the positive, not the HIV.

Make a donation so that we can continue to care for more people with a terminal illness, just like Mary.