“The people who were first infected with HIV — gay men and drug users, for example — were thought to be expendable and therefore the government didn’t really respond to the HIV epidemic because the right people were dying,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer was diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-80s, he lost his partner to the illness and he watched his social circle disappear as a result of what was then seen as a death sentence.“If someone is isolated at home or for emotional reasons and they’re having trouble getting to the doctor, the buddy program can help and that one-on-one connection can actually help,” Louie said.