The First Person Healed from HIV, Dies of Leukemia Page all

KOMPAS.com – The first person to recover from HIV, Timothy Ray Brown otherwise known as the Berlin Patient has died of cancer leukemia.

This was announced International AIDS Society (IAS) on Wednesday (30/9/2020).

Brown made history in the medical world and became a symbol of hope for the tens of millions of people living with the virus that causes AIDS. He was declared cured of HIV more than a decade ago.

However, the leukemia that Timothy had had relapsed a few months ago. She is outpatient at her home in Palm Springs, California.

Also read: World AIDS Day, Here Are 4 Stages of HIV Evolving into AIDS

“On behalf of all members, the IAS extends its condolences to Timothy’s family and friends,” said IAS President Adeeba Kamarulzaman.

“We are very grateful to Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hutter, for opening up hope for scientists to explore and cure HIV as possible,” he added as quoted by Antara. Science Alert, Thursday (1/10/2020).

Timothy Ray Brown was diagnosed with HIV when he was studying in Berlin in 1995.

A decade later, he was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

For the treatment of leukemia, his doctors at the Free University of Berlin used a stem cell transplant from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation that gave him natural immunity to HIV.

Through this transplant, it is hoped that both diseases will disappear.

It took two painful and dangerous procedures, but they worked.

In 2008, Timothy Ray Brown was declared free of both diseases. It was then, he was nicknamed the “Berlin Patient” at a medical conference to maintain his anonymity.

Two years later, he decided to break his silence and then became a public figure, giving speeches and interviews and starting his own foundation.

“I am living proof that there may be a cure for AIDS,” he told AFP in 2012.

“It’s amazing, can be cured of HIV.”