Shaka Talk #6 ~ 20 Minute HIV Test

December 1 is World AIDS Day, in fact, the whole month of December marks an international effort to raise HIV and AIDS awareness. In that spirit, we invited Life Foundation to be guests on our show to give me the 20 minute HIV test.

Shaka Talk #6 is finally upp on youtube and airing on Olelo Channel 52 Thursday nights at midnight thru to mid-December. It can also be streamed live or on demand at http://www.olelo.org/ .

Jaimie Callahan from Life Foundation had just barely gotten back from her honeymoon when she was asked to represent the HIV/AIDS organization during our taping. Love was still lingering as you can see in her sparkling smile and radiant eyes. I think that's what distracted Jaimie from swabbing my mouth before asking me all those juicy questions. So unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my test results before the show was over. We still had fun though, and hopefully were able to demonstrate how easy the test is, plus prepared our viewers for the test, should they decide to get one.

Normally when being tested at Life Foundation, it would only be the client and the counsellor alone together. The test results, and question and answer session are usually private and confidential. But for the purposes of our show, I had my sister Edna Mc Man in the studio to make sure I kept things moving along, and to ask important questions in case I forgot.

*Does this make any sense? Whatever. Watch the show and leave a comment to let us know what you think:

Shaka Talk #6, part 1 of 3


Shaka Talk #6, part 2 of 3


Shaka Talk #6, part 3 of 3


When conceptualizing the episode, I'd hoped to get get a few points across, I hope we were successful, but just to clarify.:

1)It's FREE!

2) NO needles! The main thing I wanted to stress was how quick and simple the new test is. The Ora-Quick oral swab test involves no needles or blood, and you get your results back in 20 minutes. You don't have to call or come back for results, and if you test positive, Life Foundation can hook you upp with the help you might need.

3) On The Go! You don't have to visit the Life Foundation to take the test. If you just call them at 808-521-2437 (521-AIDS), they can set upp a meeting anywhere you like, and give you the test and your results there and then.

4) HIV is submitted in 3 basic ways:
a) from mother to child (during pregnancy or childbirth)
b) unprotected sex (vaginal, oral or anal)
c) blood to blood (IV drug needles, bloody fights, and rarely but maybe thru blood transfusions)

5) Easy ways to avoid contracting HIV include the following:
a) using a condom or latex barrier during anal/oral/vaginal sex
b) using clean needles (and not sharing them) if you inject IV drugs
c) engaging in non-penetrative intimacy
d) abstaining from sex

6) The test is actually looking for HIV antibodies. Your immune system produces antibodies to fight off infection. If HIV antibodies are in your blood, a follow-upp test would be conducted to confirm whether or not you've been exposed to HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS

7) AIDS itself is not a disease. Like the name says, it's an Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. That means that a person exhibits "a collection of signs or symptoms or diseases, that you would get when your immune system is compromised."
By coming into contact with the HIV virus, your body's natural defenses against disease become weakened because it's fighting a virus that can't be killed. This would lead to your developing certain ailments that a healthy immune system would be able to fight off easily ("opportunistic diseases").

Therefore, if your blood contains HIV antibodies, or you have a low T-cell count (disease fighting cells), plus any of a list of "opportunistic diseases", these signs would indicate that you have Acquired an Immune Deficiency.

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For more information, or help visit the following:

Life Foundation
677 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 226
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 521-2437
TTY: (808) 853-3275
Fax: (808) 521-1279
http://www.lifefoundation.org/
email: info@lifefoundation.org

Kulia Na Mamo
Ohia Building (Fort Street Mall)
1149 Bethel Street Suite 300
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808)791-2020
Fax: (808)791-2021
http://www.kulianamamo.org/
email: info@kulianamamo.org

CHOW Project (Community Health Outreach Workers)
33 S King St #313
Honolulu, HI 96813-4323
Phone: (808) 848-2469
hawaii.gov page
and/or
CHOW pdf