I thought Bob was a very
exceptional speaker. His talk on AIDS was very informative
and eye opening. It made me realize how real AIDS is and
that it's not a disease that happens only in other towns,
it's everywhere. I really enjoyed that he answered specific
questions that we had about AIDS instead of making it a
lecture. It is really amazing that he is still here today
after all he has been through. I would like to think that I
could survive so long, but I don't know if I could. I think
this is the most persuasive and moving guest speaker that
has come to school so far. I know that everyone else agrees
with me because even when the lunch bell rang, none of us
moved. That truly is respect! I hope that he can continue to
give his speech to as many people as he can. I hope that he
lives to receive many more
tattoos.
John V.
I
love your website. I am
too often on the "medicine
is failing, hope is failing,
infection is winning" end
of things. It does my heart
and soul good to be reminded
that you--and many others--are
LIVING with AIDS. Keep living
and keep telling your story
and spreading the word.
You'll be in my heart and
in my prayers.
~Kathi
If you would like to have Bob as
a guest speaker for an HIV/AIDS related event,
please click
here
Hello
Dear Friend!
I hope you know that we share your values
and totally understand the frustrations
that face mystical warriors and activists
in the face of absurdity and injustice.
May Quan Yin, the Goddess of Compassion
cloak you in Her protection; and may Cali, the source of Life and Death be
at your side to add fierce strength
as you battle ignorance. Thank you again
for your passion, courage and sheer
determination!
With much love, Shay
My
journey with
AIDS is one that anyone
can learn from and appreciate. It's
not just about the virus that causes
AIDS, rather it's about persistence,
faith, hope, and compassion. Never ever surrender! ~
Da Pirate
What
a compassionate human being Bob Bowers
is. There wasn't one person in that
room Saturday night that wasn't moved
by what Bob had to say. His presentation
wasn't about "my life
living with AIDS."
It was about his outrage and suffering
for others that people are still dying
from a PREVENTABLE disease. I was honored
to have seen him speak Saturday night.
~Linda
Bob Bowers has been a volunteer and guest speaker
on HIV/AIDS at Camp Heartland since 2005. CLICK HERE FOR MORE
PHOTOS
Dear
Bob,
My name is AJ from Parkview High School.
I really enjoyed your presentation.
I liked it because you didn't try to
scare the shit out of us like a lot
of presenters will. It was also more
believable and meant more because you
actually have
HIV/AIDS.
what's
up, my name is luiz and I'm a 20
year old college student. you came
in today share your
experiences in
LIVING with aids. first of all, i
would like to thank you for sharing
with a room full of strangers. i
admire your courage, will power, and
vision. many of us have heard many
things about
HIV and AIDS but you
all put faces on vague numbers and
facts. it was so different hearing
first hand information about
something that was so "out there"
and intangible as
people living with
HIV and AIDS. its impossible to
describe my feelings during and
after the presentation with words so i wont try. i figure that you know
what i feel. once again i want to
thank you for sharing with all of
us. you have opened the eyes, minds,
and hearts of many.
with honor-luiz
You're one of my Big Heroes!!! And always in my thought and prayers!!! You are the toughest Pirate I've ever seen!!!
~ Lydia
I had a good time too, you are one of the best speakers ever! And thank ya :)
~ Kaitlin
"AIDS
doesn’t have
to be a death
sentence. However,
living with
HIV/AIDS can
be difficult
at best. There
is no ‘one way’
to living with
this disease."
~
Bob Bowers
Featured on "People
Making a Difference"
CBS Channel 27
Madison, Wisconsin
Pirates Magazine
Feature Story
"Profiles
in Pirattitude"
Summer, 2008 issue
Recipient of the 2008
Elks Distinguished Citizen
Award for outstanding service to humanity
Recognized by the University of Wisconsin MEDiC
Council for continuing education efforts with the MEDiC Outreach Program and
health professional students at UWSMPH
Guest
speaker AIDS
Walk Wisconsin opening
ceremonies
September 29,
2007
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Guest
speaker Wisconsin AIDS Ride
Opening Ceremonies
August 2, 2007
Madison, Wisconsin
www.actride.org
Male
Youth Counselor
and Advocate
Camp Heartland
July, 2007
Willow River,
Minnesota
www.campheartland.org
Guest
presenter for
the Wisconsin
DNR
"Universal Precautions"
2006-2007
Keynote
speaker for
the
International
AIDS Candelight
Memorial
Key West, Florida-2007
My
reaction to Bob, the HIV/AIDS guest speaker, was that he was
an amazing speaker with a lot of information on the topic.
How he tied in his personal life with the lives of other
people who had HIV/AIDS really impressed me because he was
very informed and knew what he was talking about. My
favorite part was when he showed the three-minute clip of
the
documentary. It was a very tough three-minutes that has
and will be in the back of my mind every day for the rest of
my life. I guess I'll never understand why it can happen to
such good people.
It was truly an honor to be
invited back as a guest speaker for the opening ceremonies of
AIDS Walk
Wisconsin
You
are a very great speaker.
Mr. Bowers, you are a very wonderful, helpful
and educated person and you made it even better because you know
exactly what you were talking about because you have experienced it.
You have made an impact on so
many people's lives and on mine too. You are a hero to many people
and you are a hero to me. I hope you keep speaking around the world
and helping
people
with HIV/AIDS because they need you. Thank you for taking the
time to talk to our class. Good luck!
Sincerely, Mckenzie S.
7th Grade-Marshall Middle School
I am
writing to express how deeply you
touched me during your
presentation.
Your speech was the most passionate,
interesting and encouraging I have
ever heard. You taught us the importance
of hope when you are diagnosed with
a deadly virus like HIV. I can't
tell you how much I respect and
admire what you do to educate teens
and adults about HIV and how it
can ruin your life forever if you
let it. Above all else, I respect
what you go through each day to
survive the
HIV virus and AIDS.
Thanks again for your passion about
what you do and for your caring
about my generation. I will keep
you, Michael, Richard, Eddie and
Hilary in my prayers.
Bob,
Hi, my name is Cassie from Parkview High. Thank you for
educating me on things that I would of never really cared
about. You have taught me just how to live and how to be
helpful to others. My favorite part was being able to ask
you questions that will be helpful in life. I plan on helping
out with the ACT Ride.
You are such an inspiration to me, thank you.
I truly admire your courage
to tell your story. You
told us what the facts were
and unlike many people in
our society today you didn't
say "Don't do it" you just
told us to be smart about
it. I don't think there
was even a sentence that
could describe the feeling
I had during your talk.
I thought you were a very
strong person. I don't think
I would have been able to
get up and talk to 200 students,
let alone survive for 23
years. You have learned
to cherish everything and
take nothing for granted.
Everything that came out
of your mouth was inspirational
and meaningful. You truly
touched me. If people had
one tenth of the strength
and ambition you have I
know our world would be
a better place. I wish you
would have been able to
stay with us long because
it was such a moving discussion.
Stay Strong,
Carrie Beth
My heartfelt thanks
to the staff and Board of Directors at
AIDS Network
and to the
community of Madison for these most prestigious
awards!
Your accomplishments
and ongoing work with HIVictorious is truly
stunning. What that really translates
into is that your life Bob is stunning----huge
mountainous challenges---peaks, valleys, highs,
lows, rollercoasters, health concerns, spirit
issues...all HUGE, but also enormous contributions
to so many and you and I both know that you
always, always receive more than you give----so
I can only imagine the Love that comes your
way from all of us whom you touch by your life,
by being YOU.
You're a big spirit
and we need more people like you in this world.
Just had to tell
you I'm so thankful to know you.
Love, Mark
It was a true
honor to be a guest speaker on HIV/AIDS at Lodi High School in
Lodi, Wisconsin
L to R: AIDS Treatment
Activists Coalition members, Rey, Ingrid, Nita and Bob at the
United States Conference on
AIDS in Hollywood, Florida
As
I told you when I came up and talked to you after
your speaking for our class, we are so blessed to
have you come, as is the world to still have you
be a part of it. I can not tell you how much I was
not only moved by your coming, but also so drastically
inspired to really live for today. I know that I
have only met you for a brief moment in time, but
I truly (not to sound too weird) cherish that time.
I feel lucky to have met you, and I hope that in
time we can become friends. I commend you and believe
in you. Hope that we can keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Scott S.
On April 12, 2008,
Bob Bowers
received the
Elks Distinguished Citizen Award for outstanding service to
humanity.
David Williams, Special Representative Grand
Exalted Ruler, received this award from Don Jones on behalf of
Bob Bowers at the
Corvallis Elks Lodge #1413 installation of officers dinner.
“I was very inspired by Bob Bowers and what he has gone through. I thought he was a great speaker and really connected on every human level. He was not just giving facts but really how it changes every aspect of your life when you get HIV. “
“He wasn’t just informative, he was real. He was very straightforward with the information and his problem. He didn’t sugarcoat anything. It was refreshing that he didn’t try to hide his emotions in front of the group. This was probably one of the best presentations I have seen.”
View news about "What if it Were You?" Note: The photos that I added at the end of the clip are not accompanied with audio.
CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS to Collin Burke from Memorial High School!!
Photos of Bob Bowers guest speaking on
HIV/AIDS at the Boy's and Girl's Leadership Brigade Camp in Waupaca, Wisconsin
Edgewood High School has had the privilege of having
Bob Bowers come and speak to numerous classes over the last few years. He is an inspiration to the students and is able to relate to the teenage audience in a way that few speakers can. To know the impact that Bob has on his audience, it is best to read what a few of my students wrote after Bob spoke to them recently: "Bob Bowers is such a powerful speaker...he opened my eyes to this horrible disease and made me want to get involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It worked on me...I am doing the AIDS Walk!" Another wrote: "He taught me so many important messages, one being that even though I don't have AIDS, we can't forget about it. He let me know that I can make a difference in the fight against AIDS." And finally one student simply said: "...he really talks from the heart!" Without a doubt my high school is blessed to have a resource like
Bob Bowers.
