Byanca's Story

My name is Byanca, and I am 21 years old. I was born HIV positive. I wasn't diagnosed with HIV until I was seven. I got HIV from my mother who passed away from AIDS complications back in 2003. I wasn't told I was HIV positive until I was in the 6th grade. My dad tried his best to explain it, but it was no help. It only explained why I took so many pills and got sick a lot. I was scared and confused.

At the time I had no idea what HIV was or how it would affect my life. Once I knew I had HIV, I started to remember how I watched my mother get sicker and sicker each week, so I knew it had to be serious.

Thanks to a camp called "Camp Hope," I know so many people who were born with HIV. We all knew each other way before any of our parents told us about our condition. I now give back by working with kids who were also born with HIV. I do what I do because I don't think it's fair for an innocent child to come into this world fighting for its life because the parents were careless, didn't get tested or know their status.

I meet people all the time who have contracted HIV who have said, "I didn't think it could happen to me." I want to share my story and help save lives any way that I possibly can. I want to help motivate others to get tested and know their status.

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