CECmisc.77 TITLE: Compassion/AIDS AUTHOR: Shirley Kapitzke, Pine Hills School; Miles City, MT GRADE LEVEL: Appropriate for grades 5-12 OVERVIEW: A writing project to help students in their aids awareness, acceptance, and compassion. PURPOSE: To help students in their social awareness and to show compassion for persons living with AIDS and their families. OBJECTIVE: Students will identify ways that they can show compassion for persons living with AIDS and their families. RESOURCES/MATERIALS: Classroom set of copies of the letter "Aids Can Happen to You" by Ruth Grove. ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: 1. Give a copy of the letter, "AIDS Can Happen to You," by Ruth Grove, to each student to read. After students read the letter, discuss the following: a. Why wasn't Jim concerned that he might become infested with HIV and develop AIDS? b. Do you believe Jim's lack of concern about becoming infected with HIV as a teenager is common among the teenagers you know? c. How did being HIV positive affect Jim's life? d. This letter and a book, Wrapped in Love (Copyright 1991 by Ruth Grove), were written by Jim's mother. Why do you think his mother wrote this letter for you and others to read? The cover of the book is a color picture of an AIDS quilt made by Jim's family. Why do you think the author chose the title, Wrapped in Love? 2. Explain that many persons are HIV positive and will develop AIDS. Until a cure is found, the persons living with AIDS and their families will live with the knowledge that AIDS is progressive and that eventually the persons living with AIDS will die. These persons and their families need support and compassion. What are some ways to show compassion for persons living with AIDS and their families? a. Be educated as to the myths about AIDS so as not to have unrealistic fears. For example, you will not become infected with HIV just by being in the same room with a person who is infected. You can shake hands and hug this person. As long as no body fluids are exchanged, being around a person who is HIV-infected is not a health risk for you. b. Be open and honest and share feelings with a person living with AIDS. As with all serious illnesses, many people are afraid to discuss what will happen next. They may be afraid to ask the person about his/her feelings. A person living with AIDS is like any other person when it comes to communication. In order to be close, feelings must be shared. Being a good listener is a way to show compassion. When persons are hospitalized, notes and cards can be reassuring. c. Be supportive with time and energy. As with any serious illness, the family of the person living with AIDS has new responsibilities. Perhaps a brother or sister of a family member living with AIDS is a friend or classmate of yours. There may be ways that you can help this person. 3. Discuss the death of a person who had AIDS. Explain to students that it is very likely that they have known someone who has died from AIDS or that they know someone who has a family member who has died from AIDS. Often people have difficulty expressing their feelings to surviving family members. Have students pretend that they knew Jim. He might have been a neighbor or his brother or sister might have been in their class. Have students write a letter to Jim's mother expressing sympathy. Students who feel comfortable can read their letters to the class. EVALUATION: Have the students write a response to the following letter: My best friend's older brother has AIDS and is very sick. What might I say to my friend? How can I show my friend that I care about him/her? What should I say if I am at his/her home and I am around his/her brother? Awkward Open letter: AIDS Can Happen to You! I'm the mother of a son who has died of AIDS. Jim wasn't concerned about AIDS because he thought AIDS only hit the druggies, and he didn't do drugs. Jim wasn't concerned about AIDS because he thought AIDS only hit those with several sexual partners, and he had only one. Jim wasn't concerned about AIDS because he thought AIDS only hit people who were poorly nourished and had poor health habits, and he ate carefully, didn't smoke and prided himself with regular workouts and running marathons. Jim wasn't concerned about AIDS because he thought AIDS only hit the unhealthy, and he had regular physical and dental check-ups. But, Jim tested positive to HIV. He still wasn't going to get AIDS because he was really taking care of himself -- 6'2" tall, 180 lb., and feeling great! But, Jim did get AIDS. He missed three months of work because of Pneumonia, but then again felt great, and was back to work and running marathons. Jim was going to beat this disease. But no one beats AIDS, and after 18 months, Jim was too ill to work. After a year, Jim was too sick to take care of himself. And, after another year, he had six major diseases was taking 26 medications by mouth and having constant intravenous drugs and several units of blood per week. Jim died from AIDS-related causes as a young man, with a college education, a nice car and a good job, and a lot of living to do. Jim was infected with HIV as a teenager. He was my only son. AIDS can happen to you! Sincerely, Ruth Grove (Ruth Grove, M.S.Ed., is an HIV Education Specialist, Comprehensive Health Unit, Arizona Department of Education.) Copyright 1993 by Meeks Heit Publishing Company. "Education for Sexuality and HIV/Aids., Curriculum and Teaching Strategies". Linda Brower Meeks, Philip Heit, Editorial, Sales, and Customer Service Offices, P.O. Box 121, Blacklick, OH 43004 TYING IT TOGETHER: Ruth's Letter allow the students an opportunity to gain knowledge and insight into the feeling of the aids victim family's feelings. It offers an avenue to express feeling of their own in a positive, creative manner. It says that it is O.K. to feel, to care, and to express this feeling to others.