Medicine for HIV+ Children in Uganda

Kameron is 22 years old, he joined Baylor Uganda in 1999, when he was 4 years old.  His mother said he was often sick with a fever and cough with body rashes.  She brought him to the clinic to test his blood where she found out he was HIV+.  Kameron was immediately admitted, but there were no ARVs at the time.  His care was basically nutritional, psychological and prophylaxis (using Cotrimoxazole).

In 2003, Kameron started taking ARVs and Cotrimoxazole, one of the medications donated by the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.  There was a point in time when the clinic didn’t have Cotrimoxazole, but AFCA intervened so clients like Kameron could benefit from this medication.  Countless lives have been prolonged, saved and improved by this program.

Today, Kameron is a peer leader at the clinic.  He encourages his peers to stay in care and continue to take their medications.  Kameron also organizes peer support activities. Overall, he is doing so well and has a better quality of life.  His message to AFCA is, "“Thanks to AFCA, for what they have done for me, if it was not for the Cotrimoxazole that you donated, maybe I wouldn’t be alive or achieving my goals.”

Our teams here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS and our partners in Africa thank you for supporting this project and the work we do for the children in in our programs.  If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Robbi's daughter is 12 years old and has been in our care since 2006.  Sara was a newborn at that time and Robbi had lost all hope of her surviving.  Our team at Baylor labored hard to pull Sara out of danger, as the American Foundation for Children with AIDS supported the effort and provided the medication she needed.  Sara's health is now well managed as she lives a normal life just like other children.  Robbi spoke with tears in her eyes as she expressed her appreciation for her daughter's treatments over the years.

This story brings us great hope in addition to many more we hear about each day.  We remember days when we didn't have this kind of positive feedback.  Many young adults started as toddlers between 2007 and 2010 on the first line of treatments, which failed and were switched to second line treatments.  Children failed to respond to even the second line and we almost lost them.  Thankfully, we have been able to provide a third line treatment since 2015 which has been successful. 

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for the children in Africa.  As you start to make decisions regarding your end of year giving, please keep us in mind so we can continue our good work into 2018 and beyond.  We wish you a new year full of many blessings and as much hope as you have shared with us.  If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.