Monday, July 19, 2010

Save-A-Life Sponsors


Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting two cheerful Save-A-Life sponsors visiting from Albuquerque, New Mexico. SAL is a grassroots program that matches sponsors with HIV+ patients at Faith Alive; Trish Miller and her daughter Diane each finance two patients’ antiretroviral medications.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch and engaging conversation at a local Mexican restaurant. Diane laid a small, ornate King Tut tomb on the table and removed a handful of her daily medications. In addition to diabetes and a few other medical problems, Diane is HIV+ and has to religiously take her pills every day.

She actually learned about SAL at her local AIDS clinic. Apparently another Faith Alive supporter had wisely placed brochures there. Thankful for her own medical care, Diane felt a strong pull to help others who couldn’t possibly afford their lifesaving prescriptions.

After lunch, I told the generous mother-daughter duo, “Thank you so much. Without their medication, your SAL patients wouldn’t be alive.” Diane said, “Me neither, without mine.”

(Photo of Trish and Diane wearing jewelry that Diane designed. She gave me permission to blog about her HIV+ status.)

2 comments:

  1. Erika,

    Thanks for the nice write-up(and lunch) about Diane and me - good picture, too, I thought. We really enjoyed being with you and meeting your family and friends. We had a good trip home yesterday; it's hot in Albuquerque, too - 100+ yesterday and today. Out dog, Aggie, was delighted to see us.

    :) Trish Miller

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  2. Wonderful, Trish! May God pour many blessings into your lives (and keep you cool in that heat). :-)

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