The Open Door Clinic has spent the last 18 years trying to stop sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, before they start.
But for those who do contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, Open Door now is providing a free monthly clinic to diagnose, counsel and provide medical services to those in the early stages of the disease.
The clinic, which previously offered HIV testing, has expanded to include free medical services for HIV patients.
Open Door’s HIV clinic officially opened Wednesday with an open house, though the first clinic was held in January. The number of patients for the clinics has nearly tripled in two months. Five people showed up the first month, while 14 people were at last week’s clinic.
Case manager Patricia Lev said the increase reflects a lack of clinics for people with HIV outside Chicago and Rockford.
Executive Director Hugh Epping, who came to the clinic in 1976 as a counselor, says its mission is simply to help people.
“We just provide them with information so people can interact appropriately,” Epping said. “We’re all going to be touched by this disease.”
Since 1980, 138 people in Kane County have been diagnosed with AIDS, and two-thirds of them have died. According to Open Door, Kane has the fourth-highest number of AIDS cases in the state.
Open Door, with its physician, nurse and two case managers at every clinic, hopes to keep its clients healthy-physically and emotionally-with routine medical checkups, a dietician and help in applying for public aid and Social Security benefits.
“Early intervention in the HIV infection is critical in stretching out the disease-free stage,” Epping said.
Patients with more advanced stages of HIV may be referred to local physicians, such as Dr. Ronald Hirsch, a general internist with Key Medical Group in Carpentersville.
“A lot of the smaller-town doctors refer them. They’ve never seen it. They don’t know what to do,” said Hirsch, who sees 30 to 40 HIV patients.
In addition to the new HIV services, Open Door will continue to hold its weekly walk-in clinics for general STD testing, counseling and treatment from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Aurora office, 1330 N. Highland Ave., and 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Elgin office, 164 Division St. Call 1-800-339-1093 for both locations.
