Martin had been living in San Francisco for a few years when he received a life-changing diagnosis of HIV/AIDS.
He moved to California to “follow the American dream” of living a better life. A trained civil engineer by trade, Martin had a fascination with old Victorian homes like the ones in San Francisco.
“I wanted to work in remodeling historical monuments, commemorating these older spaces and making them functional for everyday use. And,” he adds, “I had heard that San Francisco was very liberal and open to people regardless of their sexual orientation, so that’s what brought me to the city.”
Once he got here, Martin was eager to explore all the diverse food the Bay Area has to offer; Chinese, Italian, and Vietnamese food were just a few of his favorite cuisines. However, all this changed when he received his diagnosis. Suddenly, what he was eating – and how nutritious it was – had a huge impact on his health.
“The disease is kind of a sliding scale,” he explains. “If you’re below a certain level of CD4 T-cells, then you have AIDS. If you’re above that level, you have HIV. Healthy eating, and an overall balanced diet, is really important for your immune system.”
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a syndrome that is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). To be diagnosed with AIDS, a person must meet a certain set of criteria: 1) Be infected with HIV and 2) either have a CD4 T-cell count less than a certain number or the presence of an “AIDS defining illness,” opportunistic diseases that occur due to severe immunodeficiency.
While someone who has been diagnosed with AIDS will always have this as a part of their medical history, medical treatments coupled with a focus on nutrition can strengthen the immune system to a point where CD4 levels improve, and a person may no longer meet the AIDS criteria. In these cases, this person continues to live with HIV since there is no cure, but their immune system is functioning normally with the support of medical treatments and a healthy lifestyle.
Seeking out better ways to focus on nutrition is how Martin found Project Open Hand, using our services for a year to pick up some information on nutrition to control his condition. However, it wouldn’t be until a few decades later that he found his way back after another health setback. A few years later, a doctor’s appointment for a ball-shaped lump in his throat would reveal that Martin had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.
“I felt like I was a part of a really bad lottery or fighting against all these obstacles” Martin says. “It was just another thing I had to deal with, but as hard as it was, something told me to just hang on and not give up.”
Martin’s doctor emphasized the importance of dietary improvements to support his treatment and improve his health, referring him to Project Open Hand for nutrition assistance. Martin says he’s grateful for that because not only has he found healing here through our nutrition programming and services, but he’s also found support and community through our various classes and participant groups.
“I felt like there was a community that I could turn to – that I belonged to something that wasn’t just unique to me,” he says.
The nutritional support Martin received through our certified dietitians, courses, and medically tailored meals, made a significant difference. Very quickly, Martin noticed weight loss.
Eventually, Martin’s cancer was in remission, too. As he focused on his overall health and nutrition, his immune system even strengthened to the point where the AIDS disease was well controlled. Focusing on nutrition, coupled with medical treatments, helped Martin’s CD4 levels to increase. By supplementing his medication with well-balanced nutrition, Martin’s immune system was strengthened to the point where he is now living a healthy life as a person with HIV. “In 2014 I had AIDS,” Martin says. “But now my CD4 levels have increased, and my immune system is stronger.”
In addition to the nutrition classes, fresh produce, and medically tailored frozen meals he receives, Martin tries to use all the resources that Project Open Hand has to offer to support his health. He says that he is happy to be in a place where he finally feels seen, heard, and supported.
Today, Martin says that he feels resilient, and he is extremely grateful for the free services that he’s received through Project Open Hand.
“After all this time, I am always surprised that your program is completely free, and you’ve been able to provide services for me and other people like me for so long,” he says.
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Today, over 25% of Project Open Hand’s clients are living with HIV/AIDS. In 2023, Project Open Hand saw a 35% increase in new clients living with HIV/AIDS in the East Bay alone.
With the rising cost of food and decreased government support like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and with fewer state and local programs, the need in the community for nutrition services has hugely increased.
With your help, nobody in our community living with HIV/AIDS has to go without the vital support and nutritional services they rely on. Your generosity will make a tremendous difference in the lives of someone like Martin, who has found a lifeline through Project Open Hand.
As Martin says: “Even though the name is Project Open Hand, I feel as though the organization has more than extended its hands to clients like me. It’s extended its arms to me and enveloped me in its love and support.”