...is to support and empower women to live and thrive with HIV through education, advocacy and community.

Client Stories

WLP supports women like Patricia: Patricia heard about WLP when she was in prison in Boulder County. While she was in prison, she did not understand how to deal with HIV and was not adhering to medication and treatment. Working with WLP, Patricia learned the importance of taking her medication and attending appointments. She began to attend support groups while she was in prison and then continued to work with WLP's Client Treatment Advocacy Project (CTAP), upon her release. Because Patricia had her HIV under control, she was able to focus on her requirements for being released. In her words: "Since getting out of prison, WLP has helped me access medical services at the Denver Health Infectious Disease Clinic, where I receive my medication, and they have connected me with other community resources to help me get my life back together. My client advocate helps take me to medical and parole appointments. I am able to talk about my disease and I know there are other women out there in similar situations."

WLP supports women like Linda:  Linda began using crack cocaine in 1988 with an ex-boyfriend.  Within a short time she was prostituting in order to make money to feed her addiction.  Linda fell into a cycle of frequent encounters with the law, jail sentences, and then would return to old habits upon her release.  During this time Linda had two children that are now seven and twelve.  Unfortunately, due to Linda's drug use, her parental rights were terminated.  Linda was diagnosed with HIV in 1998.  Linda's prostitution and drug use led to felony charges against her and a three-year prison sentence.  During her incarceration, Linda met Shannon from the Women's Lighthouse Project.  Shannon provided Linda with information and resources that would help upon her release.

In her words, "The Lighthouse Project has helped me with so many things including furnishing my apartment, helping me with transportation, trips to the food bank, and appointments.  No other agency provides these services.  Without it, I wouldn't have had what I needed to get back on my feet.  I am thankful for their support and can't wait to attend the weekly groups each week—I haven't missed a group yet!  People can relate to me and I can relate to them.  It is a safe place to express my feelings.  I have been blessed to have the support of the Women's Lighthouse Project."

Laurie, a woman living in Grand Junction shared this letter:

"Dear Fellow Female HIVer's,

I am writing this story/letter of my experience strength and hope with urgency and love. My name is Laurie I am 41 years old and have been living with HIV/AIDS for 17 years.

In the early days, of living with the virus, I attended groups for support. I could have never coped with the many secret thoughts my brain was thinking or the painful moments my heart was feeling as the result of HIV.

I knew that my friends who weren't HIV positive would listen to my thoughts and feelings, BUT they could never completely understand what it was like to be living with the virus. Through out my history of HIV I saw how the virus was affecting every avenue of my life, my friends, family, children, mental health, sex, love, dreams, finances, spirituality and health. The avenues, in which HIV took over was overwhelming. I realized I needed to not only talk but, HEAR other ladies share.

I started a task that I thought be easy and it became difficult, just like everything else in those days. There were all sorts of support groups for men, but nothing for the ladies. Finally, I found a woman of Color support group. Now, my flesh tone was an issue, not even HIV. I showed up anyhow. On the journey to the small room in back part of a church my head began with the constant wonderment of what was on the other side of the door. What was I thinking? Here I am a white as snow chick walking into an inner city African-American support group. I was again going to feel different and again another door would close on me. I am terminally ill, so why not be terminally unique and ill. One thought I clearly remember was being fearful at seeing someone sicker than me. I WAS NOT ready to mirror my own death. I wondered if they were working or hustling, if the women were addicts using or not, if they had children or not, if they were a great A++ patient or failed at any suggestions from the white coats, and were or weren't in a sexual relationship.

All of these fears almost stopped me from finding this room. I walked through the fear and found freedom for a couple of hours every other week for the 1st 7 years of diagnosis. These women, didn't care who I was, how I got it or even that I was the only white girl for miles. They opened their hearts, minds, and space to this lady!! This was many years ago.

Now, here I am living and sometimes not living, 2 hours from Grand Junction. In a small cow town of 350 people, needing and wanting to hear other women's insight & voice. I tried a support group at the clinic 2 years ago, but no one showed up. I had that terminal uniqueness feeling again.

On June 23 & July 11th an amazing moment happened right here in Grand Junction for 2 hours each time. An incredible woman, who is also living with HIV, from Denver founded an organization called, "The Women's Lighthouse Project". This project is run for and by women living with HIV. Her experience has led her to helping women in the Denver area living and now she has extended her wondrous energy to us here on the WESTERN SLOPE. She has committed to us ladies, time out from managing her health issues and running the Women's Lighthouse Project to traveling here from Denver once a month. The group is only for HIV positive women. No police, doctors, or case managers, unless WE invite them."