How Are You?

 No really, how ARE you?

Can anyone honestly claim to have avoided the trauma of COVID-19, only to be eclipsed by a modern-day world war? For me, the last 2 years put all previous ones in a whole new light, and ultimately that has been good, and necessary. Life carried on, bringing with it many unexpected twists and turns. Important constants rose to the surface; constants that make me whole, bring me joy and give me purpose in these unpredictable circumstances. One of those constants is bringing an end to that other pandemic; the one that has no vaccine or cure. HIV.

I’ll admit my immediate reaction to news of a global pandemic, daily body counts and the global race to make an effective vaccine raised a little resentment. Where was all this media, compassion and urgency when HIV was eradicating entire generations? Oh right, HIV was spread by unacceptable behaviors. No judgment there #sarcasm. The feeling was fleeting.

An important lesson learned in my decades-long endeavor to end HIV/AIDS is to seek out the progress, however small, and rejoice in each one. That skill pulled me quickly off that pity pot as soon as the world was reintroduced to Dr. Anthony Fauci, a personal hero of mine for his early and tenacious contributions to end HIV/AIDS. At that moment I was confident the research of past decades, research to which you and I contribute on a regular basis, would save the day.

Soon to follow were public messages from researchers and docs I’ve come to know through the AIDS Vaccine 200 and its Emory Vaccine Center beneficiary. Emory’s Dr. Carlos Del Rio most recently spoke on the effect of COVID-19 on children. Dr. Mark Mulligan ran the Emory Hope Clinic and forged strong ties with the global HVTN (HIV Vaccine Trials Network) in his 30+ years running vaccine trials and was tapped to expedite global COVID-19 vaccine trials from his latest post at NYU. The last time we traveled to Atlanta, Dr. Steven Bosinger gave our PSR team an enthusiastic tour of his genomics lab and the new “toaster-size” device that can genetically map thousands of samples in about the time it takes to toast bread - massively faster than past methods. That method, used to investigate HIV’s unpredictable behavior in various populations, was quickly applied to COVID-19. The list goes on.

An HIV vaccine may remain elusive but the research is saving lives in new ways. What is learned from this new deadly virus may well hold the key to ending old ones, like HIV. 

 “An HIV vaccine is one of the holy grails. I’ve often said I can’t retire until we have one.” - Dr. Mark Mulligan, personally heard many times and quoted on his NYU bio 

This weekend I’m thrilled to return to Emory University for the AIDS Vaccine 200. My excitement isn’t so much for the pedaling - 200 miles is a long way and I could be in better cycling shape - but for the chance to personally thank these tenacious researchers, hear their stories of the last two years and experience their enthusiasm for the progress to come. Please join me with your donation right here! Every contribution is a meaningful one that I pray gives you a sense of accomplishment and ignites hope. It is good, and necessary.