Justin's HIV Journal: HIV Profile Ryan White Video
Ryan White was born on December 6, 1971 in Kokomo, Indiana. When he was three days old, doctors informed his parents that he had hemophilia, an inherited disease in which the blood does not clot. People who have this disease are vulnerable, since an injury as simple as a paper cut can lead to dangerous bleeding. Fortunately for White and his parents, a new treatment, called Factor VII, recently had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This treatment is made from blood and contains the clotting agent that allows healthy people to heal quickly from wounds.
In December 1984, when he was 13, White contracted pneumonia and had surgery to remove part of his left lung. After two hours of surgery, his doctors told his parents that he had contracted the incurable disease of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, through his Factor VII blood transfusions.
White's doctors told him that he had six months to live, but White decided that he would continue to live a normal life, attend school, and spend time with his friends.
White had not counted on the ignorance, fear, and hatred he would encounter in his small home town of Kokomo, Indiana. At first, people there claimed that there were no health guidelines for a person with AIDS to attend a normal school. Even after the Indiana State Board of Health set guidelines saying it would be safe for the other children if White attended school, the school board, his teachers, and the principal tried to keep him out of school. They feared he would spread the disease, even though it was known by that time that AIDS cannot be spread by casual contact. White and his mother took the case to court. Eventually they agreed to meet some of their neighbors' concerns by having White use a separate restroom, not take gym class, drink out of a separate water fountain, and use disposable eating utensils and trays at lunch. Even so, 20 students were pulled out of school by their parents, who started their own school to keep their children from having any contact with White.
that his townspeople's ignorance and fear regarding AIDS led him to become the target of jokes and some spread lies about him biting people, spitting on vegetables and cookies (and thus supposedly spreading the disease), restaurants throwing away dishes he had eaten from and students vandalizing his locker and writing obscenities and anti-gay slurs (because at that time, AIDS was believed to be a disease primarily of gay men) on his books and folders. An even more frightening incident occurred when someone fired a bullet into White's home.
He received thousands of letters supporting his right to go to school, and met politicians, movie stars, and top athletes, all of whom supported him. He appeared on numerous television programs, including CBS Morning News, the Today Show, Sally Jessy Raphael, Phil Donohue, Hour Magazine, the Home Show, Peter Jennings' "Person of the Week," Nightline, West 57th Street, P.M. Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, and Prime Time Live. White was also featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, Picture Week, and People magazines. There was also an ABC movie, The Ryan White Story, was made about his life. Ryan acted in the movie, playing his best friend, Chad. And Judith Light played his mother.
The rest of the info. can be found on the Justin's HIV Journal VBlog
It factorate not? 7
It factorate not? 7
I love Ryan White! ...
I love Ryan White! He was so kind and wise? beyond his years. I don't believe in heaven really, but Ryan makes me wish there was one so I could meet him someday.
Yeah it is very ...
Yeah it is very sad? I wish people would educate themselves more
Exactl?
Exactl?
Hey Barry he was a ...
Hey Barry he was a true American? hero
My god...so much ...
My god...so much stigma around HIV and AIDS....and sadly some of that mentality STILL? exists today.
People are so ...
People are so stupid? at times.Instead of taking time to learn about things they run. God Bless his family.
As a hemophiliac ...
As a hemophiliac and 30 year HIV survivor myself, you have my gratitiude for preparing this video tribute to our patron saint, Ryan White.? He will live forever in my mind.
He helped Ryan ...
He helped Ryan White expose HIV/AIDS and to help erase Stigma, THATS? HOW
I'd also? love to ...
I'd also? love to know how phil donohue, the fat piece of s**t that he is, supported this person.
I'm pointing out ...
I'm pointing out your negativity and phil donohues. If you want to say? I'm negative because I dont' like Mr. Donohue then you also must accept the fact that he doesn't like gay people. Get used to being hated if you're going to take that kind of stance
His courage lives? ...
His courage lives? inside all of us who are affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. He was truly an inspiration.
He was a beautiful ...
He was a beautiful soul I? wish I had the chance to have known him
I never said I ...
I never said I wanted you to support Phil Donohue. This is a story? about HIV child activist Ryan White and remembering what he did for people living with HIV/AIDS. I have completely missed the point of this entry and I'm sorry that you feel so negatively.
Thank you very ...
Thank you very much? for this.
X
Thank? u soooo much ...
Thank? u soooo much Justin! That was beautiful!
"Phil Donohue" ...
"Phil Donohue" supported him and you want us to support Phil Donohue? are you f**king kidding me?? Donohue is a horrible person
