HIV/AIDS LONG-TERM SURVIVOR * YOUTH EDUCATION * ADVOCACY * ACTIVISM * RESOURCES
Houston, Texas - United States
AIDS ACtivists/activism
AIDS Activism for The Campaign to END AIDS
AIDS Activism for The Campaign to END AIDS
AIDS Activism for The Campaign to END AIDS
HIV/AIDS activism - The Campaign to END AIDS in Pittsburgh, PA - Bob Bowers and friends
AIDS Activists Rule!
AIDS Activism for The Campaign to END AIDS
AIDS Activism for The Campaign to END AIDS
AIDS activist and long-term survivor Bob Bowers - Houston, Texas
Speaking on behalf of C2EA
📌 A Voice for Change
For over 40 years, I’ve fought not just for my survival, but for the survival of others. From the early days of the AIDS crisis—when fear and stigma ran rampant—to today, I’ve used my voice to educate, advocate, and demand action. Activism isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am.
~ Bob Bowers
Bob Bowers, also known as "Da Pirate" or "One Tough Pirate," is a long-term survivor of HIV/AIDS, having lived with the virus for over four decades.
AIDS ACtivists/activism
AIDS Activism for ACT UP
HIV/AIDS activism - ACT UP - END AIDS - Bob Bowers - Houston, Texas
AIDS Activists during the Campaign to END AIDS!
AIDS activist and long-term survivor Bob Bowers - Houston, Texas
ACT UP - Silence = death
COMPASSION IS OUR CURE®
I just wanted to tell you that your site brought both tears to my eyes, chills to my skin, and peace to my heart. I have not been directly affected by AIDS on a personal level, however, being a nurse, my final goal is to be involved in the fight for research and a cure. I never look at people's websites, but something told me to check yours out. I have been directly affected by cancer several times which is another type of research I'd like to do, but I feel like the Lord is pushing me to work with HIV/AIDS patients and I'm not really sure why. And I love your saying Compassion is our cure.... b/c it is the truth in this world through and through. I just really wanted to say I think it's awesome what you are doing, and I wish more people would be on the proactive side of this fight.
~ Erin
one Tough Pirate
You have to be one of the most amazing men. This just shows people that you can't tell from the outside someone is living with AIDS. Protect yourself and others. I love how open and honest you are about your life. And how AIDS hasn't made you lay down and die.
~ Bren
LONG-TERM SURVIVOR
LONG-TERM SURVIVOR
LONG-TERM SURVIVOR
"Long-Term Survivors are defined as having a HIV/AIDS diagnosis before 1996. They share those earliest and darkest years of the epidemic when there were no effective treatments. Effective treatments were available in 1995-96. Protease inhibitors transformed HIV infection from a “death sentence” to a more chronic but manageable condition."
SURVIVE!
LONG-TERM SURVIVOR
LONG-TERM SURVIVOR
"My personal ambition is to inspire and motivate everyone to be victorious in life's challenges. In this process I educate about the cause of HIV/AIDS, the consequences of having it, and how I have survived for 42 years."
~ Bob Bowers
AIDS Isn’t Over
"The world may have moved on, but HIV/AIDS is still here. I’ve lost too many friends, fought too many battles, and seen too much injustice to stop now. I continue this work not just in their memory, but for those still fighting today."
More Than a Survivor
"I’m not just a long-term survivor—I’m a warrior, an advocate, and a witness to history. I’ve seen the worst of this epidemic, but I’ve also seen the best of humanity. And as long as I have breath, I’ll keep fighting for a world where no one has to face HIV alone."
~ Bob Bowers
Aging with HIV/AIDS
Today, over 1.2 million Americans live with HIV, and nearly 38 million worldwide. Once a death sentence, HIV infection is now considered a chronic condition, which once diagnosed can be managed with medication. But there is still much work to be done, education, testing, and access to care remain issues in many places.
Even when HIV is well-controlled, people may develop aging-related conditions at a younger age. People living with HIV are significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without HIV. Older people living with HIV also have an increased risk of dementia, diabetes, osteoporosis, frailty, some cancers, and falls. It is common for older adults with HIV to experience mental illness, especially depression and addiction, and they tend to be more isolated, according to the National Institute on Aging.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the nearly 1.1 million people living with diagnosed HIV in the United States and dependent areas in 2022, 64% were aged 45 and older.
