
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Scroll To Top
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
When he was diagnosed with HIV at 19, Jason Crum had never even heard of AIDS. And the clinic where he received his test results wasn't much help to him.A psychologist informed him that he had a sexually transmitted disease caused by HIV, gave him a 30-day supply of AZT, and sent him on his way. Crum took the pills and figured that was it. He finally grasped the truth about his condition a year and a half later when he was watching a TV program about AIDS with his mom. 'Back home in Kansas, we're small-minded folks,' says Crum, who is now 34 and describes himself as healthy. 'That's stuff no one ever thought about.' At first his new understanding propelled him into action. He got into HIV community-service work and started giving speaking engagements to high school kids. But after he moved to Chicago at age 24, this burst of energy subsided. Faced with the realization that he might not live to see 25, he fell into a deep depression. 'I just closed myself off from society completely,' he says. But spirituality, he says, helped lift him out of this rut. He sought guidance from several spiritual leaders and found hope in Christianity. 'I needed to take a deep breath and just accept it and move on,' he says in reflection. 'Of course, it's easier said than done. But that's what I did. And now I'm progressing to better things.' Having worked in the travel industry for several years, he is now spearheading a seven-day retreat for HIVers and their family and friends on a cruise through the eastern Caribbean over Halloween next year. He hopes the trip will provide a haven that will foster the kind of healing he has found. On the ship Carnival Victory, the event will boast all the Carnival Cruise Lines bells and whistles, and Crum is adding spiritual sessions that he says will welcome all people. Speakers for sessions who were scheduled at press time include Osbourne Landis and bishop Terry Angel Mason.
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Lexi Love comes out as HIV+ after Trump deletes federal resources
January 23 2025 11:23 AM
Ricky Martin delivers showstopping performance for 2024 World AIDS Day
December 05 2024 12:08 PM
Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources
January 31 2025 5:29 PM
California confirms first case of even more deadly mpox strain
November 18 2024 3:02 PM
This long-term HIV survivor says testosterone therapy helped save his life.
December 16 2024 8:00 PM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
HRC holds 'die-in' to protest Trump health care cuts
April 28 2025 2:11 PM
The Talk Season 5 premieres this spring with HIV guidance for the newly diagnosed
March 26 2025 1:00 PM
Jess King is here to help you live your happiest, healthiest life yet
March 24 2025 4:35 PM
Gerald Garth is keeping people of color happy and healthy through trying times
March 11 2025 3:38 PM
'RuPaul's Drag Race' star Trinity K Bonet quietly comes out trans
December 15 2024 6:27 PM
Hollywood must do better on HIV representation
December 01 2024 9:00 AM
Post-election blues? Some advice from mental health experts
November 08 2024 12:36 PM
Two right-wing Supreme Court justices signal they may uphold access to PrEP and more
April 21 2025 4:10 PM
500,000 Children at Risk: PEPFAR Funding Crisis
April 08 2025 3:51 PM
Discover the power of Wellness in your life
March 26 2025 12:41 PM
BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs
March 18 2025 6:10 PM
Celebrating Black History Month with our annual African American issue
February 01 2025 3:28 PM
Plus nominated for 2025 GLAAD Media Award
January 22 2025 12:42 PM
AIDS Memorial Quilt displayed at White House for the first time
December 02 2024 1:21 PM
Broadway's best raise over $1 million for LGBTQ+ and HIV causes
April 03 2025 7:15 PM
Season 4 of The Switch on resilience & radical self-love returns this spring
March 26 2025 12:20 PM
Tyler TerMeer vows to continue to fight for health care for all
January 28 2025 3:00 PM
A camp for HIV-positive kids is for sale. Here's why its founder is celebrating
January 02 2025 12:21 PM
Decades of progress, uniting to fight HIV/AIDS
December 01 2024 12:30 PM
Climate change is disrupting access to HIV treatment
November 25 2024 11:05 AM