VIH'Gilance

08/06/2026

Campagne de nos amis-ies belges 🙂

08/06/2026

Festive c'est certain et VIH'Gilance sera présente aux côtés des pompiers pour la prévention 😏

06/06/2026

Testée positive en 1990, je ne pensais pas que je fêterais mes 60 ans mais si.

Today is HIV Long Term Survivors Day! — 39 years and counting …

It was 1987 and I was 25, living in NYC. I decided to get tested. I went to a doctor recommended by a friend who was older, straight and matter of fact. The phlebotomist suited up in her armor and took my blood. I was handed my sample and told I had to bring it downtown for lab testing. I panicked to get it there within the 1/2 hour. I was told I had to deliver it. I made it.

A week, 10 days, no answer. I called the doctors office from work. He shared my diagnosis over the phone. I was positive. I slumped and cried. I’ll never live to see 30. My manager found me and escorted me to her office. I blurted out my fate. She called in her assistant, Terry, a gay man. We talked for a while and they sent me home.

The next days were a blur. I don’t know where I found my strength or my resolve, but I did. I decided I could step off the curb and get hit by a bus, so to lament over my future when it hadn’t taken place was silly.

My manager didn’t fire me, she embraced me. I never hid my sexuality or status. I was lucky, I know this. Maybe because I was so matter of fact and I just didn’t care what other people thought, or because I felt it was my job to educate and open peoples idea of what being gay and poz was.

I did have to “come out” a second time to those I love. This time it was about being positive. Telling Mom was hard. I didn’t tell her of my status until I was in my early 30’s.

Yes, I had lived to see the future I doubted that first day. I also lived to see some friends and my husband Danny (pictured right ) die from AIDS.

I met Steve while grieving for Danny who was at the same time grieving for James. We fell in love as we helped each other navigate loss and what may be in store for us. It was 1995. The “cocktail” came out shortly after — too late for Danny and James but just in time for us. I still wear Danny’s ring on my right ring finger — his memory never dies.

have lived longer with HIV than I did without it and we say thing like, “when we retire.” 📖 by Joe Incao

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

🔥🔥🔥

🇨🇦 In Loving Memory of Valerie Ferguson (née Mignacco).

There are some people who never really leave us. They remain woven into our memories, our stories, and our sense of home. Valerie was one of those people.

On June 8, 2008, after an incredibly courageous fight to stay with the people she loved, Valerie passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. Her strength, resilience, warmth, and devotion to others defined her life.

Valerie was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and YaYa. She was deeply loved by her sisters Marilyn Nicholson, Darlene Mignacco (David Blamires), Charlene Avalos (Art Avalos), and by her many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces who continue to carry her memory forward.

For me, Valerie was much more than a family friend.

She was my mother Marianne Ricchio's best friend, her sister in every way except blood. Their friendship was the kind that lasts a lifetime, built on loyalty, laughter, trust, and unconditional love. Because of that bond, Valerie was always a part of my life too.

One memory has stayed with me all these years.

In 1991, my mother travelled to Ukraine with her parents. As a young boy, those two weeks felt endless. I remember feeling lonely and missing my mother terribly. Valerie saw that. She called to check on me, made sure I was okay, and even took my brother and me to a movie. It may have seemed like a small gesture, but to me it meant everything. It was such a perfect reflection of who she was: caring, thoughtful, and always looking after the people around her.

I miss Valerie very much.

And I miss my mother just as deeply.

When I think of them, I think of the countless conversations they shared, the laughter, the memories, and the love that connected them for so many years. Their friendship was something truly special, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed it.

If you knew Valerie and have a memory of her, I would love to hear it. Please feel free to share a story or a few words. It would mean more than you know.

Valerie is remembered for her courage, her kindness, and the way she made people feel loved. Her presence left a mark on so many lives, and that is something time can never erase.

Love you. 📖 by John-Paul Ricchio

03/06/2026

Zoom sur le programme EVARS (Éducation à la vie affective, relationnelle et à la sexualité).

Pourquoi ça coince ?

Pour entrer dans les détails, nous recevons aujourd'hui trois invitées :
🔹 F***y Gaucher, chargée de mission au Crips
🔹 Margaux Barbier, coordinatrice projets et développement pour l'association Idsanté
🔹 Delphine Roques, chargée de projets chez Aremedia

Un échange riche pour comprendre les enjeux actuels de l'EVARS 🎧🎤 https://www.comitedesfamilles.net/podcasts/evars-pourquoi-ca-coince

31/05/2026

VIH'Gilance offre ce joli bouquet à toutes les mamans séropositives mais pas que 😊

30/05/2026