Kristen Davis

He starts by volunteering with the Shanty Project, which is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that provides people with terminal illnesses compassion and human connection as they die. By the early 80s, many of the people they work with are sick members of the gay community. So for Cliff, this volunteer work becomes an invaluable education in palliative care. Yeah.

He starts by volunteering with the Shanty Project, which is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that provides people with terminal illnesses compassion and human connection as they die. By the early 80s, many of the people they work with are sick members of the gay community. So for Cliff, this volunteer work becomes an invaluable education in palliative care. Yeah.

Back at San Francisco General, word spreads quickly about his work with the Shanty Project. And before long, doctors, nurses, and even patients are coming to Cliff for guidance. He's suddenly a very helpful middleman who can see, share, and translate both the clinical and patient perspectives in a time that's incredibly confusing and incredibly scary. Wow.

Back at San Francisco General, word spreads quickly about his work with the Shanty Project. And before long, doctors, nurses, and even patients are coming to Cliff for guidance. He's suddenly a very helpful middleman who can see, share, and translate both the clinical and patient perspectives in a time that's incredibly confusing and incredibly scary. Wow.

But as more people get sick, the hysteria is dialed up and the misinformation only increases. Meanwhile, ICU beds at San Francisco General hit capacity as hundreds of patients being diagnosed with AIDS all spread throughout different wards. The quality of their care is entirely inconsistent depending on their respective nurses and doctors' mindsets.

But as more people get sick, the hysteria is dialed up and the misinformation only increases. Meanwhile, ICU beds at San Francisco General hit capacity as hundreds of patients being diagnosed with AIDS all spread throughout different wards. The quality of their care is entirely inconsistent depending on their respective nurses and doctors' mindsets.

So you get a bad area of the hospital, you get a bad doctor or nurse response. Yeah. The idea of that is like we take it for granted. I mean, anybody that has insurance and that gets to even go to the hospital takes it for granted. I definitely do. But then this idea that you would get a thing that would suddenly turn those people against you. They have hatred towards you. Yeah.

So you get a bad area of the hospital, you get a bad doctor or nurse response. Yeah. The idea of that is like we take it for granted. I mean, anybody that has insurance and that gets to even go to the hospital takes it for granted. I definitely do. But then this idea that you would get a thing that would suddenly turn those people against you. They have hatred towards you. Yeah.

And they're supposed to be treating you while you're actively dying.

And they're supposed to be treating you while you're actively dying.

Yeah. So the hospital administrators quickly realize that they're in over their heads. And again, they turn to Cliff for help. They want him to take on a clinical coordinator job so they can oversee these patients with AIDS in the hospital. And Cliff accepts. There's immediately a plan to quarantine these patients in a separate part of the hospital. But at first, Cliff hates this idea.

Yeah. So the hospital administrators quickly realize that they're in over their heads. And again, they turn to Cliff for help. They want him to take on a clinical coordinator job so they can oversee these patients with AIDS in the hospital. And Cliff accepts. There's immediately a plan to quarantine these patients in a separate part of the hospital. But at first, Cliff hates this idea.

He compares it to being sent to a leper colony. But then the more he thinks about it, the more practical a separate ward feels. They'll have dedicated space and an opportunity to provide a more tailored facility. So he agrees. He's given an area of the hospital on the fifth floor used as a sleeping area for resident doctors known as Ward 5B and an outpatient clinic called Ward 86.

He compares it to being sent to a leper colony. But then the more he thinks about it, the more practical a separate ward feels. They'll have dedicated space and an opportunity to provide a more tailored facility. So he agrees. He's given an area of the hospital on the fifth floor used as a sleeping area for resident doctors known as Ward 5B and an outpatient clinic called Ward 86.

But Cliff realizes he's going to need money to set up and fund this new dedicated clinic. And that's when Dr. Mervyn Silverman, San Francisco's director of public health at the time, invites Cliff to meet with Mayor Dianne Feinstein. Cliff remembers, quote, we went to her office and sat down and she said, we just so happened to have several million dollars surplus in the budget this year.

But Cliff realizes he's going to need money to set up and fund this new dedicated clinic. And that's when Dr. Mervyn Silverman, San Francisco's director of public health at the time, invites Cliff to meet with Mayor Dianne Feinstein. Cliff remembers, quote, we went to her office and sat down and she said, we just so happened to have several million dollars surplus in the budget this year.

If you promise me that you will spend this money appropriately, I will give you some of the surplus and you do what you need to do. Just make sure you do it right. Wow. When does that fucking happen? I mean, for real, especially considering at this time, 1981, President Ronald Reagan hasn't even addressed this public health issue, a very pressing public health issue to the country at all.

If you promise me that you will spend this money appropriately, I will give you some of the surplus and you do what you need to do. Just make sure you do it right. Wow. When does that fucking happen? I mean, for real, especially considering at this time, 1981, President Ronald Reagan hasn't even addressed this public health issue, a very pressing public health issue to the country at all.

He has not acknowledged it. Yeah. And he won't until 1985. Holy shit. And even then in 1985, he just very briefly mentions AIDS in a press conference, just like in passing. Yeah. And then after that, it's two more years before he addresses this national health crisis in any significant way. It takes them six years to talk about AIDS. As people are actively dying. Yes.

He has not acknowledged it. Yeah. And he won't until 1985. Holy shit. And even then in 1985, he just very briefly mentions AIDS in a press conference, just like in passing. Yeah. And then after that, it's two more years before he addresses this national health crisis in any significant way. It takes them six years to talk about AIDS. As people are actively dying. Yes.