Joanne Ashley, 83, dedicated the past 22 years to the cause following the death of her brother
WHITBY — Joanne Ashley rests her cane next to her chair as she arranges pamphlets, books and movies on her dining room table. Each item chronicles 22 years of humanitarian efforts toward the prevention, treatment and education of HIV/AIDS.
Over the past two decades, the Whitby resident has initiated multiple HIV/AIDS awareness and fundraising campaigns. It was for this reason she recently received the Dr. Bob Scott Disease Prevention Award from Whitby Rotary, named after the Cobourg doctor for raising millions to end polio.
The award has only been given to two other people, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, who was also recognized for his efforts to fight polio.
“I somehow became a leader. People managed to follow, which I think is a really good thing,” says Ashley.
A framed picture of a man with dark hair and a turtleneck looks over her shoulder as she speaks. She pauses the interview to place the photo down, not wanting to think about how the man in it, her brother Bill, died of AIDS in 1991.
“I’ve never seen anything worse in all my years of nursing than someone dying of AIDS. It’s horrible,” says Ashley.
He became infected with the virus after moving to California with his lover. According to Ashley, homosexuality was not well accepted at the time and HIV/AIDS was treated with stigma and fear.
“People were frightened of it. I was frightened of it, I knew nothing about this illness,” she says.
Yet Joanne recalls touching her brother’s hand ungloved to give him physical contact. As she recounts this moment, she has to shield her eyes to hide the tears.
“I knew how sick he was, I mean, I wasn’t a fool,” says Ashley.
Bill died after her third visit. She refused to tell anyone in her small town about the true cause of her brother’s death.
“I was just right there with the stigma and the silence on AIDS,” said Ashley. ”Obviously, I was going to have to do something about it.”
Five years later, she told her Rotary Club in Whitby they needed to do more to educate and help people struggling with HIV/AIDS.
“There’s no reason anybody has to get it and die of it,” says Ashley. “It’s an education thing. Learn and realize you’re just as vulnerable as the guy next door.”
Ashley has started many initiatives, including the Slice of Life Project, the Red Scarf Project, Cuddle the Orphans, and many more.
“It just kept mushrooming and getting bigger and bigger, they were so glad someone was acknowledging this,” she says.
At 83, Ashley isn’t ready to stop. Her new focus is an initiative called the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy, which advocates for Indigenous people who have AIDS. She says her focus will continue to be on education and awareness.
“Education, education, education, in every way, shape and form,” said Ashley. “Young people are still vulnerable because they think AIDS is gone, but I assure you, it’s not.”
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