AIDS TREATMENT NEWS No. 064 - September 9, 1988
John S. James
John was a leading organizer and president of the board of directors of the buyers club (now The Healing Alternatives Foundation) until three months ago when he became too ill to be active. He had become a leading expert on AIDS treatments, spending much of his time on the phone with physicians, scien- tists, and persons with AIDS throughout the United States and beyond. People in San Francisco will remember his talks on treatments almost every Tuesday night, at meetings of Healing Alternatives. He also answered questions on treatment options from hundreds of persons around the country, especially on new therapies for KS. John worked with his oncologist and other physicians to devise a successful low-dose triple chemotherapy.
John tried many experimental treatments. He obtained len- tinan through Japanese connections in 1987 -- one of the first Americans to do so. He had his own ozone machine, which he believed was helpful. Occasionally, however, he suffered serious side effects from some of the treatments he tried.
John had access to the best medical care, but during his final illness was unhappy with what was available for AIDS. In our last conversation he commented that physicians "don't think"; that even the better doctors simply ordered the obvious diagnostic tests and then gave up when they all came back negative. No one could diagnose his repeated fevers, weakness, and shortness of breath.
On August 6, accompanied by his brother and an attendant, John went to Glenwood for a last treatment attempt, with an unorthodox therapy there. Before leaving, he had made plans for his memorial service.
Friends of John Fox are looking for a permanent memorial to him and his contribution -- perhaps through Healing Alternatives. John's courage, enthusiasm, and willingness to help others will never be forgotten by those who knew him.
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