World Aids Day

Foreword from Jack, experiences from my family about Fairfield, my uncles and AIDS epidemic

In the early 1980s, a new disease AIDS was discovered, being an infectious disease at the time and there wasn't much knowledge and information on how the disease was spreading. It was such a new and unknown virus that the HIV and AIDS epidemic began with illness, fear, and death. The following year in 1984, the Victorian AIDS Council was launched. The Victorian AIDS Council obtained funding to establish a specialized HIV / AIDS medical clinic. It became the Gay Men's Community Health Centre. The Victorian AIDS Council also received a first care program to train Fairfield Hospital staff to care for people with HIV at home. Fairfield Hospital originally opened in 1904. The diseases during the duration of the hospital were typhoid, cholera, scarlet fever, and HIV / AIDS. Despite its planned closure in the early 1990s, an unprecedented community campaign kept the hospital open. When it was closed in 1996 by the Kennett government, it was the last infectious disease hospital in Australia.

In 1983, Fairfield Hospital admitted its first AIDS patient and in the last decade became deeply involved in HIV / AIDS treatment and research. It was internationally recognized as a leading laboratory and, after an intense campaign to save the hospital, it was finally and controversially closed on June 30, 1996. Both of my uncles were admitted to the Fairfield Hospital in the early 1990s. Glenn was one of the first men in Victoria to get tested. He believed that the government knew much earlier, however, he believed that the government did not act or care enough about supporting the gay community. Glenn was very cautious, and he believed that he could have contracted the disease via an occasional partner in Sydney, and if the information were released earlier, he could have been much more pre-emptive. Glenn announced it immediately after his diagnosis to his family. At that time, because there was little research on the disease, a lot of people thought just because you are diagnosed, does not mean that you are going to die. However, over time, for a lot of people HIV would turn into AIDS and, sadly, it was a "death sentence", due to little research on it. Garry was also diagnosed with AIDS, however he revealed his status later and was much more dishonest to his family members when attending treatments, he’d say it was related to hernia, while at Fairfield Hospital. Catholic halfway homes also played a role, these sites housed AIDS patients, who were too sick and run by Christian brothers and nuns. One significant place my two uncles spent time was San Michel. The site was based in Camberwell, and the staff brought patients to every appointment at Fairfield Hospital, and provided a level of safety and comfort, and my Uncle Garry really valued this important site. My aunt Carol also had a volunteer role here, but the daily stress would soon make it too difficult for her to continue working in the space, where there was a level of trust that had been broken. My grandfather also raised money for San Michel, through the use of dance.

Glenn was in Fairfield from 16 December till his passing on the 5th March. Garry was in Fairfield for a shorter amount of time. Fairfield Hospital provided emotional safety not only to patients but also to their families. Due to the stigma and lack of understanding about the disease at the time, Fairfield staff and the community showed a level of kindness, that hadn’t been seen in the outdoor world. The Fairfield staff was really special. Michael Baker was in charge of nurses, he showed care and compassion to all the patients and used to sit beside my mum and family at times to console, provide comfort and laugh to lift the anguish and loss they all had felt. He was seen as an angel in the darkest of times. It must have been so difficult to work in these times, as patients knew their life would come to a painful end. Heaps of medical staff attended Glenns' funeral, and the nun officiated his funeral. Glenn always had someone in his room at Fairfield. While many patients had no one visiting, mostly due to levels of shame and parents not even knowing their child was gay or living with AIDS.

My own poppa was a rarity. He came three times a day and the medical staff adored him. He lit up the ward by whistling down the corridor or humming in the rooms. It was very rare for my family to see other visitors. The sadness was overwhelming sometimes but the staff showed compassion and care. The world outside of Fairfield was generally not friendly, there were some understanding people in the world at the time, however they were rare. For example, the mother's own boss was kind and understanding, in relation to the situation. However my aunt, who worked in such a horrible school environment, the staff were cruel and ignorant to my aunt Jan, who was an honest and open person. The stigma of the time created problems with her own children. Jan felt torn  felt that she had to hide it because people can be horrible in the worst moments. Eventually both of my uncles got very sick in the early 90's, Glenn did not suffer from physical signs of AIDS, however Garry did.  

The treatments were horrendous. One day my aunt Jan went there, and Glenn had to get injections to keep him from going blind, they were extremely painful because his veins were rupturing. My aunt started to question whether the treatments were even working and posed this to Glenn’s grad doctor. It was so painful for both sides, difficult for this young doctor with the injections, but he was making it through the right decisions, as Glenn was still able to keep his sight. Fairfield Hospital provided a community, it was a special institution  where patients and their families were the primary focus. They always did this to the best of their ability, while ensuring safety and comfort. There was sadness when it closed, and a community lost. As for AIDS, my two aunts and my mother never thought it would happen to my uncles, as some people who were diagnosed with HIV were lucky and are still alive today.

Author - Jack Sebire (MAD Placement Social Work Student)