Years of drug use and untreated HIV were robbing Eduardo of his life. Complicating his situation even more, he had contracted Hepatitis C. The local health department referred Eduardo to Community AIDS Resource and Education Services (CARES), where he began his journey to health. Eduardo was initially reluctant to talk about his situation but in the safe and welcoming space of CARES, he began opening up. He told his medical case manager about his struggles, explaining that lapses in his health insurance and battle with addiction had stopped him from seeking HIV treatment.
CARES put together a plan for Eduardo, getting him insurance and HIV medications. CARES also discussed a treatment program for Hepatitis C, explaining to Eduardo that he had to be sober for six months before he could begin treatment. Taking stock of his life, Eduardo decided he wanted to move forward with treatment, which meant entering into a drug rehabilitation program. CARES helped him take this giant step forward by paying for his housing for two months, freeing up Eduardo’s income for addiction treatment.
For three months Eduardo has regularly attended doctor appointments, achieved an undetectable HIV viral load, and completed a rehabilitation program. He has abstained from all drug use. In three more months, Eduardo will be eligible to begin Hepatitis C treatment. The path to sobriety and health has not been easy for Eduardo, but CARES helped empower him to gain confidence and take charge of his life.
