Dear Ms. Huang,
I really don't know how to even begin this -- so I will begin with how I was so happy to have learned about you and TAPWER in the article written by Andrew Lai in the China Post (March 6, 1999).
My name is Mary Ellen Kerrigan and I am a Catholic Sister who has lived here for many years -- I was missioned to Taiwan in 1965. I am a nurse I have always been interested in health issues. Since 1991, I have been trying to do something about HIV/AIDS here in Taiwan. I have the good fortune of being a volunteer who works out of Taita Hospital here in Taipei.
A few years ago, for a magazine, I wrote an article 'Are Women in Taiwan Immune or What??' my point was...women here are not immune! Culturally and socially there are factors, I am sure, that militate against anyone inquiring more deeply into the fact that the ratio of 13:1 (men to women) as given by the Department of Health when counting up persons with HIV Infection...is really ludicrous. Especially when the same government reports claim that the number of heterosexuals infected with HIV has been greater than the number of homosexuals for the past three or four years at the least. Of counsel we hear a great deal about 'men who have sex with men' -- but nobody talks about the 'women who have sex with men' unless they are complaining about 'prostitutes' that society likes to label as 'vectors of disease' What about the fact that it is seven times easier for men to give the virus to women than the other way around.
Anyway...I am very worried about the women of Taiwan. Recently the ones I worry about most are those that have not been discovered to have HIV who will, in time, become women who have died because of AIDS but since nobody knew it -- the cause of death will be listed as this or that disease. So few women are discovered; so few women, for one reason or another, are ever tested. Where or where are the gynecologists? Who is wondering if Taiwan's high rate of cervical cancer has anything to do at all with AIDS -- invasive cervical cancer is a defining disease for AIDS. And, the women who are not discovered to have been infected with HIV -- will never even get the chance of controlling their disease with the new medicines.
But, you know, nobody likes to think about this and I am a bit afraid to even write about it to you. Guess I am afraid that you will not see this as a health issue. And, my heart aches because so few dare to look this horrible disease in the face. So many figure it has nothing to do with them. It is heart breaking to talk with women patient's who have been infected by their spouse or partner -- "I had no idea..." "I heard about it - but I just thought that I could never be that unlucky" "I always thought it didn't have anything to do with me or my family" etc., etc., etc.
I had better stop. Anyway, I hope you have the best of luck with your organization and if ever I can do anything for you please let me know.
Thanks for listening...
Mary Ellen
Letter from Ms. Mary Ellen Kerrigan