Willow Glen, California Since 1992
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work in AIDS community 
Photograph courtesy of Kim Fredericks Lifetime Achievement: Willow Glen resident Kim Fredericks, a nurse at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, has received the Leslie David Burgess Lifetime Achievement Award. Kevin Hutchcroft, manager of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program, presented Fredericks with the award at the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 7. By Juliane Ngan She started out as a dedicated home-care nurse whose clients were mostly HIV-positive or suffered from AIDS. Her hard work surpassed the duties set out in her job description when she became a major activist in the HIV/AIDS community. She was fighting a battle to save the lives of her close friends - people she treated like family - and prevent others from acquiring the disease. A six-year Willow Glen resident and now a nurse at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Kim Fredericks has received the Leslie David Burgess Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the AIDS community. She started out with a high school teaching credential, but after attending nursing school, Fredericks found a profession that enabled her to dedicate herself to helping the sick - a calling that had long held interest for her. "I always wanted to be a nurse," she said. "It's always been something I loved. I like taking care of people." Fredericks began working as a cardiovascular nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital in 1988. Three years later she transferred to the Visiting Nurse Association, a program the hospital ran at the time. Her patients became close friends, as she made daily visits to give them IV infusions. In 1995 the county began receiving money from the federal government to fund AIDS research and prevention and the treatment of AIDS patients. Fredericks was appointed to the newly formed Santa Clara County HIV Planning Council, where she defined and prioritized the needs of the HIV community and allocated the funds that the council received on an annual basis. "It's just been very rewarding to take care of people who are treated like they are on the fringes of society. There's a lot of stigma attached to being diagnosed with HIV," Fredericks said. "It feels good to be able to treat them with respect and dignity." Her involvement in the HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention campaign didn't stop there. In 1996 she started at the Ira Greene Positive Partners in AIDS Care and Education (PACE) Clinic in San Jose, working as a full-time nurse. Two years later, she became an AIDS certified registered nurse. Fredericks' involvement in the HIV/AIDS community stood out, and she was asked by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to work in the Needle Exchange and Harm Reduction Program in 2000. This program allows intravenous drug users to bring in their used needles and syringes for proper disposal. Users are given new syringes to prevent them from transmitting diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. The Leslie David Burgess Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 1991. It is presented to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment, dedication and compassion in providing education and service to the community and to people with HIV in Santa Clara County, said Kevin Hutchcroft, manager of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program. The award was named after the late Leslie David Burgess, a health educator who focused on the topic of HIV. People who are part of the HIV community - either those who have the virus or work in the field - select the nominees. This year Fredericks' close friend, Geoffrey di Brandi, received the award for care and support efforts. Fredericks was honored for her work in managing the Needle Exchange and Harm Reduction Program. "She is an extraordinary nurse," said Gallagher. "She's professional, caring, and supportive. She volunteers an enormous amount of her time and goes out of her way for every patient, treating them with love and respect." Fredericks said that receiving the award will motivate her to work harder. Her involvement in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention is far from over. "I think it's good to keep the issue of AIDS in the public eye. People think it's not as big of a problem right now, but since the end of February I've had five friends die - five people who were really important and involved in our community who are leaders. That's a huge loss. The battle's not over and we still need to be aware of prevention, especially so that young people don't get HIV," she said. "It's validation for what I've done," Fredericks said of the award. "I am very grateful and honored to receive this award, and my life has been enriched by my patients. I am happy to be part of this community." |
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