OREGON S LESBIAN/GAY/BI/TRANS/QUEER NEWSMAGAZINE
OCTOBER I 2010 | 7
PROFILE
was down, and he was getting sick with in than $3,000 as o f press time, Reitan is one
creasing regularity. He went to a doctor for o f the top fundraisers for AIDS Walk Port
Woodwork for the first time in the three land 2010, sponsored by CAP. He hopes to
years since his H IV di
help put a face to the
agnosis. The results
cause o f continued
weren’t good. Reitan’s
H IV /A ID S education
T-cell count was at 33.
and research in Oregon
“I didn’t expect them
and beyond.
to tell me that I was as
“My focus is on
bad as I was,” says Reit-
H IV /A ID S groups—
an. “I basically had no
that’ll be my mission
immune system left.
in life from now on,”
That was a month ago.
shares Reitan. “The
I was like, ‘Are you
support and services
looking at the wrong
I’ve been given from
paperwork here? T hat’s
the HIV Alliance [a
not me.’ It was what I
Eugene-based organi
needed to hear.
It’s
zation similar to CAP]
changed
my
life
has changed my life
around.”
around. Even after
In August, Reitan
you’ve been tested, if
began the most inten
you come back positive,
there’s so much that
sive level o f treatment
"I
didn’t
expect
them
to
his doctor could pre
you have to do. That
was maybe what I was
scribe. He has since tell me that I was os bod
struggled with both the
hung up on three years
os
I
was.
I
basically
had
side effects o f his medi
ago— I didn’t know
cation and the adjust no immune system left.
where to start, didn’t
ment to a schedule that
know what to do, didn’t
That
was
a
month
ago.
I
is ill suited for such an
have any doctors.
outgoing young man. was like. Are you looking
“It’s important to
W hen he spoke with
me, and I hope that
at
the
wrong
paperwork
Just Out, Reitan was in
just by being out and
rehearsals for the Pea here? That's not me.' It
open about the disease
cock After Dark event
I’ll reach a few people
was
what
I
needed
to
September 26 at the
in my age group and in
Newmark Theatre; live hear. It has changed my
the next generation, so
performance is another
they have someone to
life
around."
part o f his life nega
look up to and they’ll
tively affected by his
- JONATHAN REITAN be proactive about
their health as well.
illness.
Despite Reitan’s uphill battle, in moving They don’t necessarily have to learn from
forward and living with A ID S he has cho my mistakes, but if they ever have to deal
sen a proactive position that furthers his with what I’m dealing with they’ll know
initial efforts in fundraising and education what to do and where to start.” I t]
for H IV /A ID S organizations. Only a
month out from learning o f the advanced AIDS W alk P ortland 2010 begins at 11
nature o f his illness, Reitan has experienced a.m. Sun., Oct. 3 in downtown Portland.
firsthand the importance o f community Registration and activities start at 9 a.m. in
support, resources and sidestepping the Pioneer Courthouse Square. For more infor
trappings o f becoming a statistic in the mation on the event or Cascade AID S Project,
fight against AIDS. Having raised more visit cascadeaids.org.
p i v o t \ 'p i- v e t \
noun
1 : a sh a ft or pin on w h ic h s o m e th in g turns*
2 a : a person, thing, or f a c t o r h a vin g a m a jo r
o r ce n tra l role, fu n c tio n , or e ffe c t b : a key p la ye r
o r p o s itio n *
3 : a space d e d ic a te d to the physical, personal,
and social health o f all men into men.
‘ M erriam -W ebster O nline D ictio n a ry
Dianne
N e w L o c a tio n !
4840 SE 39th Ave. R>rtland, OR 97202
D ig ita l X -R a y s
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