ACOL Honour Roll



At ACOL’s annual general meeting on June 6th, several new inductees joined the AIDS Committee of London Honour Roll. The Honour Roll is our way of recognizing people or groups that have made outstanding contributions to HIV/AIDS work in our community over the years. Last year’s recipients were Pam Hill, Camp Wendake, and the Memory Walkers. Our Board of Directors awards the Honour Roll based on nominations from the community. This year, we had a large group of recipients, reflecting a range of contributions – not just to our agency, but to the community as a whole.

Long-time supporters Robb Irvine (Ontario Mortgage Action Centre) and Frank Clarke (Oliver & Associates Realty) received the award for their generous contributions in support of our client holiday dinner, as volunteer with A Taste For Life, and as major sponsors of the Auction For AIDS for over 5 years. Frank and Robbie are always looking for ways to do more: to make their donations to the agency go further, and to bring new supporters on board.

Dr. Graham Pollett, Middlesex-London’s Medical Officer of Health was commended for an unprecedented 13 years of service to ACOL as a member of our Board of Directors. Fellow board member Brenda Done commended Dr. Pollett for his clarity and willingness to speak out on important social and health issues. In the words of Alex Berry, former Executive Director of ACOL, even before he was a member of our board, Dr. Pollett was taking the time to learn about our work and the issues surrounding HIV/AID, and to learn first-hand, “at the ground level, from the people directly impacted by the issues – and who would be directly impacted by the services we were providing.”

Rev. Keith McKee presented the honour roll to Dr. Francis Chan, Associate Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry who spoke on behalf of the students who each year, mount a musical variety show called Tachycardia. For three years in a row, the students have donated the proceeds from the show to the AIDS Committee of London. In the words of Rev. McKee, “As a result of these students’ keen interest in the AIDS Committee of London and their willingness to partner with the agency in this way, the profile of ACOL has been raised on the campus of the University of Western Ontario and also within the greater medical community.”

For her long-time contribution to the health of the community, Dr. Margaret Pelz was inducted to the honour roll. For many years, Dr. Pelz has devoted her psychiatric practice specifically to people living with HIV/AIDS, and been an ally of the AIDS Committee of London and the HIV Care Programme. Through her caring, concern, and dedication, Dr. Pelz has been a huge contributor to the health of our HIV-positive community.

This year, the staff and board decided that our Executive Director Peter Hayes was due to receive this honour as well. Peter has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS for 15 years, and for ACOL for nearly 10. Volunteer Jay Tupholme spoke about how Peter’s strength and openness about his HIV made him a role model, and that Peter’s work had inspired Jay and others living with HIV to get involved themselves. ACOL Staff members took turns recounting how Peter’s integrity, leadership and commitment have shaped and guided the growth and success of our agency. “Peter demonstrates courage in challenging the status quo so that we may critically examine our work, its impact on the individuals we serve, and our larger community.”

Labatt 24-hour Relay


Join volunteers, fiends and staff on "The Red Ribbon Team" June 9 & 10
See http://www.labatt24hourrelay.ca for more info.

LGBT2SQ Health Info & Resource Night



On the evening of November 23, 2006 the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Questioning and Two Spirited (GLBTQ2S) community and its supporters participated in a Health Forum at the Aeolian Hall.

The event, facilitated by Chris Williams, was well attended by approximately 50 individuals who shared ideas and concerns about the health and wellness of our community. We were fortunate to benefit from the expertise of a variety of guest panelists who kindly volunteered their time and skills to help bring focus to the many issues identified. Panelists included; Cynthia Hirt M.Ed Counselling Psychology, Leanne Powell from the London Middlesex Health Unit (Sexual Health Unit), Reverend Greg Smith from Christ Anglican Church and Paul McCarty-Johnston, Cass Wender and Daniel Pugh from ACOL.

Throughout the evening participants explored common and unique issues of concern in the areas of physical and sexual health, spiritual wellness, addiction mental and emotional health issues. A brief summary report will be prepared and posted on our website later this month. This summary report will include information on suggested next steps as identified during the evening.

The AIDS Committee of London believes the time has arrived to address issues within health services such as challenges to access, gaps in service and the development of a health care system that is trained to better meet the needs of the GLBTQ2S community. We believe this forum builds on the efforts of the recent GLBT2SQ Community Building forum held at the Aeolian Hall on October 22. If you want to get involved and make a difference in the health and wellness of our community please contact Brian Lester, Director of Prevention Services.

Incidents of Non-Disclosure of HIV Status



Recent charges laid against local HIV positive individuals for not disclosing their HIV positive status to sexual partners calls attention to the risk of HIV infection locally. Although we do not comment on specific cases, the AIDS Committee of London (ACOL) is gravely concerned when incidents like these occur from the perspective of supporting those that may have been at risk of HIV transmission and the implications for improved prevention strategies.

To prevent risk to others, those who knowingly withhold information about their health status and engage in unprotected high-risk activities that potentially expose others to infection need to be dealt with appropriately. ACOL encourages anyone who may have been in contact with such an individual, and who is concerned about their risk to contact the London Police. ACOL provides services to those who believe they have been at risk of HIV infection, including counseling, information on HIV testing and referrals to other supportive services. If you are interested in speaking to someone about these concerns, please contact one of our case managers by calling 519-434-1601 or to contact the Options Clinic at 519-673-4427 for anonymous HIV testing and pre- and post-test counselling.

We also want to stress the need for accurate information when making sexual health choices, to prevent both HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Knowing what activities put you at risk of infection and the ways to reduce that risk are crucial. It is also important to understand what a positive or negative result for your HIV test tells you and what it doesn’t tell you.

Getting tested for HIV means having a blood test to see if you have developed the antibodies that result from HIV infection. It can take up to 14 weeks after the infection occurred to detect these antibodies. An HIV negative test means you were not infected with HIV up to 14 weeks prior to the date the test was taken. It does not account for the potential HIV infection during the 14 weeks leading up to the test, often referred to as the “window period”.

Choosing not to use a barrier like a condom for high-risk activities based on someone’s assumed HIV negative status could still put you at risk. We estimate that 1/3 of the Canadians who are infected with HIV don’t know that they are infected – they may be asymptomatic and unaware they have been at risk. Again, making safer sex decisions based on your partner’s reported belief that they are HIV negative is not advisable. Practicing safer sex is a proven, reliable means of protecting yourself and your partner.

While encouraging people to get tested, we must also address the stigma and discrimination that many HIV positive people experience as a result of disclosing their status. Those living with HIV are hesitant to disclose their status in an environment where they are perceived to be a risk to others or unwelcome. A 2003 HIV/AIDS Attitudinal Survey conducted by the Public Health Agency of Canada showed that Canadians were generally tolerant of those living with HIV in their community. However it also showed that 30% of Canadians were somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable if they found out they were working with or shopped from a store owned by someone who what HIV positive. 43% of those surveyed would feel somewhat uncomfortable or very uncomfortable if their child was attending a school with a student who has HIV/AIDS.

This may be related to the belief that HIV positive people present a risk to the general public, particularly when faced with the incidents of criminal charges being laid for non-disclosure. Those who put others at risk of infection because they are unwilling or unable to disclose their HIV positive status are a small minority. The vast majority of people living with HIV are strong advocates for prevention, not wanting anyone else to go through what they have faced as a result of their HIV infection. Unfortunately, public perception is influenced by the stories of HIV positive people that get reported in the media. What the public doesn’t hear is the voice and stories of the thousands of women, men and children living with HIV who have contributed to their communities and society, regardless of the burden of poverty, isolation, stigma and discrimination they face.

Positive? Share your story!



The AIDS Committee of London is pleased to announce that training for the new Speakers Bureau will be taking place during the afternoons of October 3rd, 10th and 17th. The Speakers’ Bureau is designed to give voice to those who are living with HIV/AIDS, and to help the public at large understand some of the social, emotional and practical day-to-day impacts that living with HIV/AIDS presents. The volunteer speakers will be trained to challenge HIV stigma and discrimination by putting a human face to the issue and making their story a living reality. Trained speakers will join ACOL staff giving presentations in schools, workplaces, and to community groups. Past speakers have told us that although it is challenging, they have found public speaking to be both rewarding and empowering. To register, or for more information, please contact Dana Nosella.

Community Planning Update

The Southwestern Ontario HIV/AIDS Community Plan "Pozitive Living Pozitive Lives", (POZLIV) completed February 2006, provided our community with clear direction for the improvement of services for people with HIV and communities at risk. The recommendations from the Plan were adopted at the Stakeholder Meeting on June 9, 2006, with stakeholders identifying the next steps to move these recommendations into actions. Notes from this meeting provide the minutes of the 7 break-out discussion table groups that discussed the first steps necessary and who should be involved in response to specific recommendations from the Plan. Reporting these steps back to the larger group, participants then identified the next steps for the Coordinating Committee.

The Progress report provides an update on the progress that has been made and the initiatives underway in relation to the recommendations from our community plan. The HIV/AIDS Community Plan Steering Committee has identified 10 priority Working Groups relating to the Plan’s recommendations. Steering Committee members have been assigned to each working groups and will invite and coordinate the participation of interested stakeholders. At the end of this report you will find a listing of the Working Groups and the name/contact information of the Steering Committee member coordinating each group.

If you are interested in participating in one of these Working Groups, please feel free to contact the individual coordinating that particular group.

Read the January 2007 Progress Report
Read the full Community plan here.



Community partners including the Men’s Mission have been receiving training on safe sharps disposal, courtesy of Cass Wender, our Needle Exchange Coordinator. Feedback on the training has been extremely positive, and the return rates for our CounterPoint needle exchange program continue to rise.


July was an active time for ACOL, with booths at Sunfest and Pride as well as a float in the Pride Parade. This was our first year at Sunfest, and many people commented that it was good to see us there, getting HIV prevention information to diverse segments of our community. Our Pride booth featured the new provincial campaign, featured on TV and at www.ru4real.ca


Support Services has been extremely busy this summer, with 13 new clients since April alone. Four of those individuals have connected with the agency through the work of our Multicultural Outreach Worker. New Case Manager Dayle Allan and Support Placement Student Russ LeBrun have been a huge help in seeing that all these individuals get the assistance they need.


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