Motherhood and HIV: Finding Support in the Family
By Dun King Thousands of people, regardless of gender, have been infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the Philippines. According to the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines, in 2017 alone there were 11,103 reported cases of HIV positive individuals . However with the steady increase of cases in recent months , the cases has yet to reach a plateau. This increase can be an indicator of people slowly taking courageous action towards knowing their status. Despite the many campaigns aimed at normalizing HIV testing, many are still hesitant because of misconceptions regarding HIV . Because of this, it has been a challenge for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to disclose their status , and entrust their story. However, as a mother Elena Felix, Nay Elena as people call her was able to receive overwhelming support from her family. Like many parents who strive to support their family Nay Elena, a mother of four, was an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). She was working...