Graphic Novel Portrays Stories From Chicago’s First AIDS/HIV Unit

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center hosted a fireside chat and reception with MK Czerwiec, nurse and author of the new graphic novel, “Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371.”

The graphic novel recounts the moving and powerful stories from Illinois Masonic’s Unit 371, Chicago’s first multidisciplinary care unit dedicated to housing, treating and supporting patients with AIDS and HIV.

When Czerwiec joined Illinois Masonic in 1995, the HIV/AIDS epidemic was at its peak, having already claimed thousands of lives with no cure and few support services in sight. The introduction of antiretroviral therapy marked a turning point in the fight against the AIDS/HIV epidemic, and in 1999, Unit 371 was closed and repurposed.

Many years have passed since the coming and going of Unit 371, but those stories live on. “Taking Turns” includes the oral histories and reflections of many of the unit’s staff, culminating in an artful depiction of Unit 371 as a safe haven.

At the fireside chat, Czerwiec was joined by a panel of Unit 371 physicians and staff who worked and contributed to its environment of healing and support. Panel members included David Moore, MD, who played a critical role in the creation and management of the unit, Russ Leander, who led the unit’s art therapy program, and Karen Coleman, the unit’s nurse manager.

Other former nurses, physicians and volunteers attended the event, including James Malow, MD, who served as an infectious disease consultant for Unit 371 and now serves as the hospital’s chair of the Department of Medicine.

“I was rounding in the unit one day and went into one of our patients’ rooms. When I walked over to his bed to hold his hand, he shrank back. He didn’t remember the last time someone had touched him,” Malow said. “Many places turned their backs on these patients. Unit 371 was not one of those places.”