Living With AIDS
Rae Lewis Thornton Speaks of HIV Effects
Des Moines, Iowa (Jan. 27, 1997)--A blood-drive Rae Lewis-Thornton organized was very successful, so when she received a letter from the blood center a month later, she was sure it was a formally written "thank you." However, the letter informed her that there was something wrong with blood she had donated. When she finally went to the follow-up meeting, Lewis-Thornton discovered she was HIV positive.
On Wednesday night, Lewis-Thornton had Parent's Hall in Olmsted Center packed with curious students, faculty, and community members, listening intently about how her life has changed now that she has AIDS.
In her speech "Living with AIDS," she made clear her goal of wanting to make a difference in each person's life.
"I want to share my story with you, so when I walk out that door, something is different," she said.
Lewis-Thornton explained in full detail how her life has dramatically changed since she developed AIDS. However, when Lewis-Thornton first discovered she was HIV positive, she was in complete denial. She "went about life as if nothing was different."
Melissa Parcell (J2), who attended the speech, said, "I have never been to a one-hour speech that was so life changing. It was very influential."
Shortly after her speech began, Lewis-Thornton wanted to open up the conversation among the audience with questions they had for her. Many of the questions were directed at how her life has changed.
"Everything you do is different when you have AIDS," she said.
Lewis-Thornton also noted that AIDS is the No. 1 killer among people between the ages of 18-44; the audience was reminded that "this is a death statistic, not an infection statistic."
Two years ago, Lewis-Thornton married her husband, Kenny. She said he is one of the reasons she is so positive about her experience with AIDS. When questioned how he could marry her knowing she was going to die early, she said, "You know, I believe that there is somebody for everybody."
© 1997 CyberPress Communications, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Drake University 50311.
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