Dear Counsellor:

I'm a 12-year-old girl and I'm worried about my mother because she is very sick. She has been in and out of the hospital. Just last week, I overheard my aunt telling my grandmother, who lives in England that my mother has HIV. This is very depressing and sad for me. I don't want my mother to die because I love her so much. My father ran away two years ago and we have not seen him since. Is my mother going to die soon?

Young Girl

Dear Young Girl

AIDS Affairs is sorry to hear about your mother's illness. There is good news for you. With the increased knowledge and experience of health-care workers and newly developed medication, many persons with HIV or AIDS are living much longer, perhaps they may even live to survive the epidemic. I'm sure your mother has visited doctors/health-care providers who have experience in the care of people living with HIV. Therefore, it is possible for your mother to feel better soon. Early treatment may help your mother prevent or postpone the development of AIDS until a cure is found. In the meantime, you must speak with your aunt or another trusted adult, who will assist in getting you a counsellor as soon as possible.