Good nutrition can contribute to the wellness and sense of well-being of the person living with HIV or AIDS at all stages of the disease and may even prolong life.

Good nutrition will be redefined at various stages of HIV infection and will vary according to the development of the disease:

As the sensitivity of the topic of HIV/AIDS can vary from individual to individual, we have reserved certain content to member access level, particularly with regards to the online community forum.

As a registered member of HIVplus, you will have full access to view and participate in the following forum topics:

By Bonnie Goldman, September 2009

Up until now, we've never been able to say that a person infected with HIV has been cured. As I said, up until now.

You see, in 2006, something incredible happened in a hospital in Berlin. It was there, thanks to a unique and risky bone marrow transplant, that a man may have become the very first person ever to be fully cured of HIV.

This man's name has not been released; he's only known as the Berlin patient. But we know he's an HIV-positive American in his 40s who has been working in Berlin. In 2006, he was diagnosed with acute leukemia. In an attempt to treat his leukemia AND his HIV, the man's doctor -- Dr. Gero Hütter -- arranged for him to receive a stem cell transplant from a very special donor.

Ever since that transplant, the Berlin patient has had an undetectable viral load even though he hasn't been on HIV treatment since before the transplant. The man has generously allowed scientists to take almost every possible biopsy and test, including the most ultrasensitive HIV tests available, but HIV has not been detected anywhere in his body. It's now almost three years since this operation and HIV still seems not to have reemerged. His story inspires new hope that some sort of gene therapy may be the key to an HIV cure.

The Edenvale Care Centre provides a caring environment for the physical treatment of terminal AIDS sufferers and their families as well as providing practical skills to the patient and families to cope with the effect of the disease - involving the family in the care of patients so they may live as comfortably as possible.

In acknowledgement of this facility, HIVplus endeavours to assist the Edenvale Care Centre where possible. As such, we will be publishing and up to date list of their priority needs on this site under the heading of Care Centre Wish List.

We'd appreciate your assistance with donating towards the Wish List items.

If you would like to participate in supporting the Care Centre but cannot assist with the priority needs, please refer to their full list.

You may contact us or the Edenvale Care Centre directly to arrange your donation, or for your convenience, how about bringing your donation along to a gathering?