HIV Hero: The AIDS/LifeCycler with Legs of Steel and a Heart of Gold

Dr. Robert Quon’s commitment to fighting HIV is evident — especially in his leg muscles. This Northern California doctor is not only an outspoken advocate for battling against HIV stigma, he is a reliable presence at the legendary AIDS/LifeCycle bike rides, where he volunteers to travel 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for HIV treatment and prevention. In fact, Quon has done 23 of the last 24 rides, logging over 12,000 miles for a good cause. Quon wasn’t even an avid biker when he did his first ride in 1999 (and raised $5,000). To date, he's raised over half a million dollars for the cause!

Dr. Quon only planned to do that one initial ride, but fell in love with the diverse community he found there, calling them “family.” Clearly, it’s about more than fun. “I see this as a way to take care of my community — a community who, for a long time, have been either marginalized or forgotten,” he says.

The activism of this respected community pillar extends beyond AIDS/LifeCycle; the doctor has served as a member of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s Board of Directors for the past six years. “After my husband and I got married, one of the things we asked ourselves was, ‘Where do we want our money to go after we're gone?’ It was important for us to know it would go toward an organization whose goals, mission, and future we believe in,” Quon says. As a doctor, Quon has seen firsthand the evolution of HIV care in the past 20 years. Instead of treating people with HIV in intensive care units, the work is now about ensuring anyone who needs testing or medication receives it — something AIDS/LifeCycle provides for.

“We all have a role to play,” Quon says.

Learn more about Dr. Quon's story and others in the newest episode of HIV Heroes.