Ian Bicko
Living with HIV, a beach volleyball player keeps HIV advocacy in play
By Samantha Coria
Photo by Bryan Malloch
Medical research has produced lifesaving drugs for people living with HIV. But it hasn’t dispelled the stigma that stubbornly clings to the virus.
In his last semester at the University of South Alabama in Mobile in 2017, Ian Bicko’s life and dreams lay ahead of him. Then an HIV diagnosis left him rattled and uncertain about the future. A future that he wasn’t even sure he was allowed to dream of anymore.
Fortunately for Ian, decades of research have generated powerful drugs to treat HIV, and a single pill taken daily can keep the virus in check. For people living with HIV, taking medications as prescribed also renders them essentially noninfectious.
Having recovered from the shock of diagnosis and gotten into care, Ian discovered a passion that would tap into his competitive nature and help him evolve, physically and spiritually: beach volleyball. He has since progressed further than he ever imagined and is now competing with the best players in the U.S. “My sport has been an outlet and a space for me to process and grow,” says Ian, “and in a way it’s been the best medicine.”
But while medications control his HIV, they’ve done little to rid him of the stigma that still goes hand in hand with the virus.
“There’s evidence that when it comes to stigma and personal and social environments, we’re moving in the wrong direction,” Ian says. “Even in my own volleyball community, I’ve seen how ignorance and a lack of information can lead to stigmatizing beliefs.”
The problem is that current treatments don’t eliminate the virus—they lock it down in place, ready to rebound if treatment is stopped. A cure that eradicates HIV from the body entirely would change the game. No virus, no stigma.
Founded in 1985, amfAR has contributed to the development of the anti-HIV drugs that are keeping millions of people alive today. Today, amfAR is the only nonprofit organization focused on curing HIV. For Ian and the nearly 40 million people living with HIV, amfAR’s research is a source of hope for a future free of HIV—and the stigma that goes with it.
Samantha Coria leads digital and social media at amfAR. She is always happy to chat about the latest and greatest TikTok trends or hear new ideas for creators amfAR should work with! You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @samsarebetter.
Click Here to read more from the July 2024 issue of amfAR INNOVATIONS.
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