Vancouver, BC Canada |
West End | Jepson-Young Lane |
since 1 July 2018 one name |
In 1986, Vancouver physician Dr. Peter Jepson-Young was diagnosed with AIDS.
Just prior to his death in 1992, Dr. Peter and his life partner Andrew Hiscox, met in their home along with friends and Dr. Peter's sister Nancy Hennessy. The decision was made to begin work on creating a place where people with AIDS could receive compassionate care right through to the end of their lives.
That pivotal meeting launched what was to become the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, with Andrew, Nancy and his mother Shirley leading the way.
The Dr. Peter Centre Today
Since 1997, the Dr. Peter Centre has been providing day health programs, 24-hour licensed care residence, and an enhanced supportive housing program. The Centre is recognized as the first health care facility in North America to integrate supervised injections into its model of care.
Located in Vancouver’s West End, the Centre is open seven days a week and serves 73,500 nutrient-dense meals to participants and residents every year.
“No one has ownership of this disease – unfortunately, it belongs to all of us
and the only way we’re going to conquer this is through cooperation.”
- Dr. Peter Jepson-Young
CBC's Dr. Peter Diaries
When Dr. Peter Jepson-Young was diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, it was a fearful time. Being diagnosed with AIDS then was like being diagnosed with Ebola today.
Rather than hide in shame or live in fear, Dr. Peter chose instead to use his own experience combined with his professional background to tell the world what it meant to be hit by this devastating epidemic that was killing so many people so quickly.
The result was The Dr. Peter Diaries, produced by CBC-TV which spanned 111-episodes and challenged prevailing myths.
See the Oscar-nominated archival footage
CBC-TV aired the Dr. Peter Diaries nation-wide. Decades later, the public broadcaster continues to make this archival footage available to the general public.
Many of the segments reflect the era of the 1990s. Through them, Dr. Peter's insight, compassion, and humour come through. A few segments also show his unique and progressive perspective on a number of issues society continues to face today.
On mental health and healing - see Energy that is Me, February 1992
On intravenous drug use – see Needle Exchange, December 1991
On stigma – see AIDS as a Social Disease, July 1991
On AIDS and poverty – see Changing Face of AIDS, March 1991
Click to watch Dr. Peter's original CBC-TV segments.
https://www.cbc.ca/i/caffeine/html/embed.html?categoryName=Embedded-Only%2FNews%2FBC%2FThe%2BDr.%2BPeter%2BDiaries&playlistLimit=111
Photo © Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation
https://www.drpeter.org/about/dr.-peter-jepson-young/
1 July 1997
Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, Vancouver