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social services

August 5, 2022

National Health Center Week: SOR Housing Service Spotlight

“You may not see the light at end of the tunnel at this very moment but things will get better and you just have to have faith. Don’t lose faith. Stay strong and don’t be afraid to reach out for help.”

~ Katherine Alejandrez, Housing Care Coordinator

To kickoff National Health Center Week 2022, we want to shine a light on one of our newer services within our Substance Use Program, made possible with funding through the State Opioid Response (SOR) Housing grant, here at Family First Health. National Health Center Week runs from August 7th through the 13th with each day being a different focus day. The different focus days can be found here.

Family First Health has partnered with the Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania (FHCCP) to provide the SOR Housing Service. This additional resource is only for those who have a diagnosed Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) with the goal of providing housing and peace of mind for an individual to know where they are going to lay their head at night. Having stability in housing is one way to help individuals with OUD focus on their recovery.

This service gives housing-focused case management to clients. In addition, this service also provides assistance in the following areas:
-Short Term Housing Assistance;
-New Housing Assistance;
-Utility Assistance;
-Emergency Housing Assistance for Rent/Mortgage; and
-Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA).

Our current team at Family First Health consists of two staff members solely dedicated to housing case management and provision of these resources to the clients. The first client to receive services from this team at Family First Health was back in February of 2022. Since then, 134 clients have been deemed eligible for services and are either in the process of receiving approval or have already received housing assistance. While new referrals are currently being added to a wait list, our team is working to connect patients to resources in a timely manner.

In order to be eligible for SOR funded services, the client must meet the following requirements:
-Must have an OUD or stimulant use disorder diagnosis, in any phase of recovery
-Must live in or be willing to relocate to York or Adams County
-Family income must be below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
-Client must be ineligible for other funding that supports housing costs or emergency financial assistance

Family First Health offers comprehensive primary care with integrated behavioral and substance use services. The additional resource of SOR services has helped existing patients and our community members to meet their housing needs while they walk their path to recovery. If you or someone you know needs assistance with opioid use disorder, please reach out to our team at Family First Health.

Caring for the whole patient

August 19, 2020

Creating a Healthier Community Through Whole-Patient Care

To Effectively Care for a Patient, We Have to Treat the Whole Patient

When Family First Health opened in 1970, we set out to deliver exceptional primary care services to our community’s most vulnerable members. Over the past 50 years, we’ve expanded our services and broadened our capabilities, but our roots in primary care still drive the way we care for our patients. This intention is based upon a recognition that a patient is more than a medical record.

A person’s mental and emotional health are just as integral to their overall wellbeing as their physical health. Our Family First Health providers integrate behavioral health and substance use services into their overall approach to care. This integration is happening at the primary care level, something that’s unique to our organization. And it’s why, year after year, we continue to see incredible results.

Caring for the Whole Patient Takes a Team

We recognized long ago that a team-based approach to care brings about the best patient outcomes. This is particularly evident when you look at the outcomes of our behavioral health and integrated substance use services where a team of specialists works alongside the primary care provider to help that patient work towards recovery.

This team approach to care starts on day one. When a new patient has their first primary care visit, they’re screened for depression and substance use. If that patient’s primary care physician recognizes a substance or psychological issue, or even just feels that the patient could use some additional support, they’ll bring in the behavioral health and/or substance use team and develop a collaborative treatment plan to get the patient the support they need.

Unlike so many other health centers and treatment programs, our primary care physicians are on the front lines of care, regardless of the support the patient needs most.

“You can’t separate primary care from behavioral care; they’re both working towards the same goal which is a patient’s long-term wellness,” said CarrieAnn Frolio, VP of Integration & Business Development at Family First Health. “By placing equal weight on a person’s physical and behavioral needs, and funneling that support through the primary care physician, we’re able to care for the whole patient.”

A Center of Excellence in Pennsylvania

We’ve always believed in the importance of treating the whole patient and in 2016 we were recognized for this approach related to our work supporting patients with opioid addictions. That year we received a Center of Excellence grant from the state of Pennsylvania which let us accelerate the work we were doing, and continue to do, to help more people in our communities recover from the devastating opioid epidemic.

Through this grant, we expanded our substance use services and developed an integrated approach to addiction recovery and care. Today, each Family First Heath patient participating in the program has a team of specialists – including primary care, dental care, case management, recovery support, and behavioral care – all working together to aid in their recovery.

Treating the Whole Patient During a Pandemic

While the blending of primary care, behavioral health and substance use services are the most visible part of how Family First Health is caring for the whole patient, there are many other services we provide, including efforts aimed at making healthcare more accessible. And never before have these efforts been more critical to our community’s wellbeing than during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Well before the pandemic, Family First Health had established strong relationships with organizations throughout York, Adams, Lancaster, and Lebanon counties that allowed us to address challenges our patients experienced getting to their doctor.

“Transportation is one of the biggest barriers to care,” CarrieAnn said. “If patients can’t find a way to get to their physician’s office, they’re not going to receive the care they need. Healthy food is also a big concern. If you’re hungry and worried about finding your next meal, getting to your doctor’s appointment is going to take a backseat.”

When the pandemic hit, access to transportation and healthy food became even more difficult. When we saw this happening, we quickly activated our partners to get patients even more support. Things like ride-sharing and grocery delivery services made a big difference and helped get patients to their appointments.

Some of our long term partners have also made a big impact during the pandemic. We can connect patients with Rabbit Transit in York, the Lebanon transit authority, and Red Rose Transit in Columbia for reliable transportation to our offices. We also work with our neighborhood food banks and local CSAs to make sure our patients get the healthy food they need.

More than ever before, we’re seeing evidence of what we’ve always known to be true – we must care for the whole patient if we want to improve lives and create healthier communities.

Help Us Create a Healthier Community

Our patients and families hold a special place in the heart and history of Family First Health. Join us in celebrating our First 50 and support us as we continue to share our story and care for our community. Click below to make a donation and help us continue to provide high-quality health care services over the next 50 years!


March 12, 2018

Common pregnancy questions asked

pregnant woman sitting in grass by lake

Welcoming a new life into this world is an exhilarating and special time. Whether you’re a first-time mom, or already have children, you can always learn how to make your pregnancy the healthiest experience possible for both you and baby.

At Family First Health, we have a team of community health workers in our Connections for a Healthy Pregnancy program who are trained to help you navigate through pregnancy and motherhood. We picked some of the top asked pregnancy questions that future moms have.

Q: How do I calculate my baby’s due date?

 A: When you announce your pregnancy, the first question you’ll likely be asked is, “when’s your due date?” However, due dates are typically difficult to calculate because there are a number of factors that can impact how pregnancy stages are identified, which is why only about 5 percent of women deliver their babies on their actual due date.

When doctors calculate your due date, they will count 280 days from the start of your last menstrual cycle or 38 weeks from your conception date. However, if you have irregular cycles, are unsure about when your last cycle was, or you don’t know when you conceived, schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have this verified with a pelvic exam, early ultrasound, or blood test. These are the most accurate ways doctors can identify your due date.

Q: How important is it to take prenatal vitamins?

A: Standard adult multivitamins help to fill in the nutrition gaps one might have, even if he/she is eating a healthy diet. Prenatal vitamins work in the same way; however, they put stress on a few other vitamins that can help your baby develop properly, specifically folic acid and iron.

Folic acid prevents major abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord, and iron supports baby growth and prevents anemia. Other nutrients you want to look for in your prenatal vitamins are omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin D. Prenatal vitamins can be taken during all pregnancy stages, and some doctors recommend taking them three months before trying to get pregnant, in order to nurture the growing egg.

But remember, all of these vitamins are a complement to a healthy diet, and not a substitute for one.

Q: How can I prevent or treat stretch marks?

A: Stretch marks are the red badges of motherhood that 90 percent of moms-to-be will experience. Common places to find them developing are across the hips, thighs, breasts, and of course, the belly. Stretch marks are closely tied to genetics; however, there are a few ways you can work to minimize their prominence.

Start by drinking more water to hydrate the skin, apply a rich moisturizing cream to help with the itching and tightness, and finally, focus your efforts on fading the marks with gels and creams containing hyaluronic acid after pregnancy.

Q: What are my restrictions while pregnant?

 A: There are certainly a number of hard and fast rules you can go by for what not to do while pregnant, like using drugs or alcohol, for example. In general, though, your pregnant and pre-pregnant lives shouldn’t be all that different. It is time, however, to put your sushi lunches on a hiatus because raw meat and uncooked seafood should be completely avoided while pregnant. Along with that, step away from fish with high levels of mercury, raw eggs, soft cheeses and unpasteurized dairy because it could contain listeria.

Be mindful about raising your body temperature too much during the first trimester, with hot tubs or saunas for example, because elevated body temperatures could lead to certain birth defects for baby.

Each woman’s pregnancy is different, and it’s important to feel open to ask any and all questions you have; community health workers can help. Visit our website to learn more about how Connections for a Health Pregnancy can help guide you through the steps of pregnancy, and get the resources you need to welcome a healthy baby.

heart with pulse line

August 4, 2016

Making substance use and addiction part of the conversation

The former journalist in me is always reading new articles and sending them along to people I think might find them interesting. Lately, those poor souls getting a lot of my emails are our behavioral health staff.

Why? Because I feel like there are more great stories out there about mental health than ever. It used to be something no one talked about, and now that’s changing. More specifically, more people are talking openly about addiction and heroin, to help educate others and remember those they’ve lost.

A recent Washington Post story caught my eye, as it focused on some families who decided to put in their children’s obituaries, that those children died from overdoses. As a former editor, I used to scan obits regularly to see if there was anything we missed. In many cases of younger people or those without cause of death, it was easy for someone in the business to assume it was overdose related. But that probably isn’t the case for most people out there.

The obits mentioned in the WaPo story were poignant, heartbreaking and so important.

We loved Ryan with all of our hearts, but we now know that was not enough to shield him from the world. . . . While we always felt we had some grip on Ryan’s issues, his ability to hide and disguise his addiction proved superior to our parental control. . . . To all parents, pay attention to your children and the world that revolves around them.

She will be best remembered for her free spirit, love of life, and the incredible strength she had while enduring so much pain that came from her struggles with addiction.

In their grief, these parents want others to know that no one is immune and we should be talking about these issues.

That’s precisely what our behavioral health team is up to. I’ve been working with them recently to develop materials to pass out to others regarding some of our collaborative care – for adults, for children with challenging behavior, and for substance use.

The substance use initiative is called SAFER – Safety, Awareness, Freedom, Empowerment, Resilience. And our staff wants you know know they ASK EVERYONE.

In the words of our behavioral health coordinator, Stacey Burroughs – “Stigma is beginning to gasp for air.”

No one is being singled out. All doors are open. And our staff is here to ask, listen and help, if needed.

It’s pretty cool to see behind the scenes as we move forward with some great initiatives to really care for the whole person – body, mind and soul.

Click here to read the entire Washington Post story.

mental health word cloud

July 13, 2016

Changing the conversation about mental health

Stacey Burroughs, our Behavioral Health Coordinator, is hard at work bring mental health into our daily conversations about health. She’s working on integrating behavioral health into the workplace and our patients lives. Take a look at a note she sent out to our staff recently talking about where we’re going.

Thanks Stacey for being such a champion for open discussion and acceptance! Learn more about what we’re doing here.

The door to mental health is open in this country. We’ve realized that one door isn’t enough and not everyone will come through the front door. So we’re rapidly building more doors, with entry points through the side, the back, and even through the basement. We know these entry ways as the judicial system, the public school system, and primary care. That’s where you come in.

Each of us has a unique opportunity in our role to hang up a welcome sign, and to convey in our words and actions that Family First Health is a safe place for patients and staff members to speak frankly about all aspects of health and wellness, including mental health. We are charged with normalizing conversations about mood, safety, trauma, substance use, memory, and brain health. We have hope today that stigma around behavioral health will be reduced, and eventually cease to exist. Not so long ago, there was great stigma attached to conditions like epilepsy, and intellectual disability. Stigma is almost always based in misinformation and misconception. As we bring topics into the light of conversation, we understand the conditions and one another at a deeper level.

Brain and behavioral health is as relevant to every one of us as oral health, heart health, and reproductive health. Let’s continue to create a culture of safety for our patients and colleagues by inviting conversations, and always keeping our doors open.

CEO Jenny Englerth

June 27, 2016

From our CEO: HIV as a social justice issue

Please take a moment and read the speech on HIV as a social justice issue given by our CEO Jenny Englerth during the public reception for our AIDS Memorial Quilt event – “His Story. Her Story. Our History.”

Twenty-five years ago HIV/AIDS elicited fear, confusion, and anger from so many across the nation. So much so that a young boy with hemophilia and HIV named Ryan White who just wanted to go to school in my home state of Indiana made the national news.

In our community, 25 years ago a handful of people chose love and compassion over the fear and confusion. I share with pride and gratitude that Family First Health made the choice to do something, even when the path was not clearly defined, people needed care not health care just care. This evening we recognize those people and their efforts, those that are here with us and those didn’t make it through the early days of this pandemic.

Politics and lack of information fueled a response that left so many vulnerable. The disproportionate impact on the gay community was undeniable but resulted in a movement that shaped me and so many others personally and professionally.

Advocacy, education and care were taken on by the community impacted by the disease. This resulted in everything from legislation and funding named after the boy who just wanted to go to school to evidence-based medication and treatment to testing and prevention efforts that work to prevent transmission to programs like Caring Together that continue to evolve based on a balance of good medicine and consumer direction.

I looked at my bulletin board this morning a saw a button that I hadn’t taken notice of a long time. It was from a quilt display in 1996 and asked, How Many Names Will It Take? That question
is as relevant today as it was then. I am not suggesting we have not made strides, we see people living long and healthy lives with HIV due to great treatment options that were only imagined at that time, we see dramatic reductions in new infections overall and we rarely if ever see infant infection in the developed world. But, like with most other health conditions, there are communities that are disproportionately impacted. And until those inequities, most often based on race or place are addressed there will be more names.

FFH and our Caring Together program will continue its work but it is up to each of us to look upstream for the root causes of diseases like HIV and take action. Fight for a system that ensures that we all have access to the information, insurance, prevention, care, and treatment that we deserve. Only then will we stop adding names to the list.

As I viewed the panels yesterday with some of the people that will share their story in the video we are about to watch, I was struck by many things; the names and faces that I remembered (Carol, Tommy, Greg, John, Regina, Chris, Joseph, Marty, Maizy) people I hadn’t thought about in years I could suddenly vividly recall.

I was struck by the dates, the slice of an entire generation that was lost, the potential, the contributions and diversity of thought lost.

But most importantly, I was struck by devotion of family, friends and supporters that created and stitched panels and sent them off to be joined with others that will forever be bound together as a reminder to all of us, not a reminder of their death but as a reminder that they lived.

See more photos from our events taken by Digital Ephemera Photography.

Sandra Bones with picture of Cassie

June 20, 2016

‘Let her go with dignity’ – Little Cassie & the NAMES Project

Cassandra Inkrote was born weighing 1.5 pounds. Her grandmother, Sandra Bones said she knew right away – AIDS.

Cassie’s mother was HIV positive, but back in the early 1990s, not a whole lot was known about transmission and how to protect the unborn babies of those already positive. Breathing problems that got worse once Cassie got home led doctors to the diagnosis. They told Bones that they’d have about a year. But if Cassie made it past the year, she’d be OK.

“She was a very good baby for being sick,” Bones said. “Very good. She went through a lot but was very loved every day.”

Even in photos of her at the hospital – Cassie had three trips to the University of Maryland hospital – her bright eyes light up each photo her grandmother holds dear, even the ones in which she’s in pain.

When Cassie hit the year mark, Bones thought she’d be all right. “Our hopes were up,” she said. “We thought she’s going to make it.” It was only two weeks later that Cassie started hemorrhaging and returned to the University of Maryland.

Bones spent a lot of time in the hospital – she was by Cassie’s side for the last three days of her life. The doctors said she was getting better, so Bones rode the bus back to York to get some clothes. By the time she got home, her husband had gotten the call. Bring the family, it’s time to come. They all went down at in the end, it was a tough decision to pull the plug. “Let her go with dignity,” Bones said. Once goodbyes were said, it was done.

In the moments after Cassie drifted away, the doctor asked a huge favor. There was another little boy on life support and the family was struggling with the decision. So just after saying goodbye to Cassie, Bones went to talk to the mother. It was about dignity, after all.

Bones then returned to bathe and dress Cassie. “I turned her loose, but it still hurts,” she said. “It’s going to hurt.”

Soon after Cassie’s death, Bones wanted to help, so she became a buddy for those also living with AIDS. She was paired up with a woman for awhile, until she entered hospice. Then another young woman, who also ended up succumbing to the disease. “I always wanted to work with other babies,” she said. “But I never got the chance. I would have taken one in.”

A few months after Cassie’s death, Bones started working on a quilt for the NAMES Project in her honor. On the light pink swatch, there are a handful of little things from the girl’s short, well-loved life – a rabbit she had, pieces of blankets she had. Bones saw the quilt a few times and then never heard anything else. In her mind, she thought maybe the entire thing was gone.

That is, until a coordinator at the home she lives at in West Manchester Township saw a story in the paper. It was about a mother who lost her son to AIDS, and whose quilt was finally coming home. The coordinator knew Bones was looking for the quilt, so she grabbed the number of the person who wrote the story. And she called – two weeks before the AIDS Memorial Quilt panels were to arrive in York.

The writer told her, with trepidation, that the quilts had already been requested, but yes, they still exist. And after telling Bones about the events, thought she might just run the name and see Cassie’s quilt. Cassie was, in fact, already coming home. Her little pink panel sits on the bottom of the one with Steve Weigel, Rick Bowers and those lost at York House Hospice.

“I was so happy, I was on such a high that day,” Bones said. She went to tell her husband, and he laughed. Of course she’s coming home. Bones has plans to bring many of her nine children to the public reception. One will accompany her on Friday. And on Saturday, she’ll be at the Serenity Garden of Hope to plant perennials for Cassie.

Cassie’s mother lived until 2007. Cassie’s death was something she – and all of them – struggled and continue to struggle with. HIV/AIDS is part of their lives forever.

Bones sits next to a framed photo of Cassie on a cloth about the NAMES Project and the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Above the TV, next to an angel sits another photo of Cassie with the words “shining star.” She speaks of a Rice Krispies’ bank Cassie had. Whenever you put money in it, it would “snap, crackle and pop.” After her death, it would still sometimes snap, crackle and pop. Bones and her husband would laugh, saying “she’s going at it, again.”

“After 25 years, she’s still here with me,” Bones said.

Scott Smith with picture of Aids quilt

June 15, 2016

Not just another number – The AIDS Memorial Quilt

Rick Bowers didn’t want to be another number.

It was actually 1986 and while on his second date with Scott Smith that he disclosed he had AIDS, Smith recalled. Bowers had been diagnosed six months before the two started dating.

“It didn’t really bother me much at all,” Smith said. “I’ve dealt with cancers, strokes through family. For me it was one of those things. It was part of Rick .. something you dealt with. … We learned what needed to be done to maintain his health and other things. It goes to say a lot about Rick. Today I’m still HIV negative.”

Not wanting to be a statistic was something that weighed heavily on Bowers. Even when the two went to get tested every three months. “It’s not just Rick and Scott,” Smith said. “It’s this number and this number, from files. Everything we did, we were just a number.” Even with AIDS was talked about in the news, it was a count of statistics, Smith said. It was 12,000 infected, never the 10,000 who are surviving and living a life. There was never talk of doing what needed to be done to either “beat this or at least extend it.”

One of Bowers’ biggest regrets was not making it down to the March on Washington. In the months after his death, Smith was looking for a way to honor his partner. He joined the Open Group as a buddy, working with those who were living with HIV/AIDS. Then came the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

“When we started on the quilt, it was once again another number,” Smith said, noting the size of the panels and all the requirements. “By adding Rick to the quilt it became not a number, it became something personal. You see the pictures. You see the dates. You see everything right in front of you rather than just another number panel.”

Five friends helped Smith with Bowers’ AIDS Memorial quilt. Three of them have since died from AIDS. “It’s not always here with us, but it’s out there and we know it’s out there.”

For Smith, it’s all about education. Most people don’t start talking about HIV/AIDS until early November and that’s only ahead of World AIDS Day. Smith used to speak to school groups and churches, something he said needs to start up again. It’s something he wants people to think about when his partner’s AIDS Memorial quilt panel comes home June 23.

Last time the quilt was here in 1994, Smith said the turnout was much bigger than expected. The biggest thing people didn’t realize, he said, was that it was personal. “Yes, we did lose,” he said. “But we still have them here.” And this time? “Rick’s coming back home again,” he said. “It’s something York needs itself. To reawaken and so there’s not a lot more statistics.”

“It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be welcomed with being able to personally see the panel again,” Smith said. “The biggest thing is it’s the fact that you’re not only getting to see the panel and everything, it’s going to bring back memories, good and bad, that we had that we dealt with at the time and everything. The biggest part goes back to education.”

Despite the pain, those memories still make Smith smile. And it was his husband, Dwayne, who encouraged him to reach out and see if they could bring Bowers home. On the quilt, Smith said from memory is: roses – Bowers’ favorite flower – a photo of him, a teddy bear and the number 77.

The teddy bear represents Scotty Jr. The first time Bowers was in the hospital with full-blown AIDS, Smith came to visit with a bear. Bowers named it Scotty Jr. and said it’s “something here with me when you can’t be.” When the two were together from 1986 to 1993, they couldn’t publicly say “I love you,” so instead they said 77. It had to be on the quilt.

Smith hopes that by bringing Bowers home again – along with several other area panels – some may see the AIDS Memorial quilt for the first time. Kids are graduating from high school and don’t know that HIV/AIDS is something they should be aware of. He wants them to see Bowers and what he wanted his life and death to stand for – education. “AIDS/HIV is still out there. It still needs to be looked at, still needs to be publicized,” Smith said. “It’s not a thing of the past. It’s still here. It’s still current.”

“We lost Rick too soon,” Smith said, adding that his favorite memory was helping raise Bowers’ son from age 4 to 8. The two still spoke weekly until about a year ago and he hopes to bring him to the quilt. But it will be hard, Smith said. And it will bring back up the hardest thing Smith deals with: “Knowing that pretty much no matter what he did or what I did it wasn’t going to be good enough. We were going to lose him.”

Mary Jane Sanders

June 13, 2016

The AIDS Memorial Quilt: Mary Jane Sanders

It’s something you never get over, Mary Jane Sanders says simply. When you have a child, you love that child. “You think about what they go through. … You often wonder who he would have been.”

Sanders always wanted to be a grandmother. But she knew it wouldn’t happen the traditional way, once her son Steven told her he was gay. He moved out to California where he worked as a waiter. Sanders laughs as she said she knew he had a lot of friends – a lot of partners. But then he met someone special and was really happy. In the height of the AIDS epidemic, they wanted to be sure so they went to get tested.

Then Steve called home.

“That was, for me, the beginning of the end,” his mother said. “I knew and he knew there was nothing out there to help him.”

Every morning, Sanders starts her day by getting out of bed and saying “Good morning” to the portrait of her son that hangs in her bedroom.

“He was my only child. He was the light of my life,” she said. “I just really love my son and really miss my son. People say God giveth and taketh away and I have to cope with this.”

After Steve’s death, Sanders got active in The Open Group. The group – mostly mothers of those who died from AIDS – wanted to reach out and help others living with AIDS. They wanted to support the mothers, but the mothers found hosting monthly dinners helped in their grief. And it gave them a new family to rely on.  “It was sad. As they died, it was hard. But it helped us,” she said. “You fell in love with them. You knew how they were feeling.”

Buried deep inside the warehouse that holds the 12-by-12-foot panels of the AIDS Quilt, is one dedicated to Steve. A group of about 15 people from her old job in the Central York Middle School came together to put it together for Steve. In it, you’ll see Steve’s cats, old middle school, references to San Francisco and Tahoe – where they had a home. You’ll also see a note that says “always in my heart, Mom” and some children. He called her once from the hospital toward the end during a bout of pneumonia. “He said Jesus loves all the children in the world. Why can’t we just love each other?”

That’s what Sanders wants people to see when they view the quilt – her Steve. He was happy go lucky. He put people at ease. He was always on the go. In the center of the quilt is a picture of Steve. She wants you to see reflected in his smile that he was a kind and loving person. He was a good son. “See his 36 good years on this earth and that he loved and helped people.”

Sanders has seen Steve’s quilt since the day they sent it to the Naming Project. In fact, she and one of Steve’s friends from California went down to see it in Washington D.C., on the National Mall. It was overwhelming, Sanders recalled. “There were so many quilts. … It brought back a lot of memories, a lot of heartache … All of these people have lost loves ones to this disease.”

And when she sees Steve’s quilt this time, she’ll see it with her family of others who have lost their loved ones to AIDS. It will be hard, Sanders admits. “But it will make us closer.” That’s what their sons did. They never knew each other in life, but they brought their mothers together as family.

“People don’t realize what we lost,” she said. “People didn’t care about it. They thought ‘as long as I don’t have AIDS, it’s all right.'”

There’s another thing Sanders wants people to take from seeing her son’s quilt – awareness. “This will bring awareness to those people (living with AIDS) – that there is help, hoping for a cure.”

And we haven’t forgotten.

(Photo and video by Randy Flaum, York Storyman.)

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  • The receptionists are very pleasant. I would recommend this office to any of my friends who might need a doctor or dentist. The fact that they have someone who can help translate for my family has been such a convenience. I can't thank them enough.
    Gettysburg Site Patient
    Mrs. H | Gettysburg, PA

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