“A Positive Life” by Shane Stanford Book Review

• “A Positive Life”’ Living with HIV as a Pastor, Husband and Father by Shane Stanford
• Print length- 224 pages
• Language- English
• Publisher- Zondervan
• Publication date- April 11, 2010

“A Positive Life, Living with HIV as a Pastor, Husband, and Father” by Shane Stanford is a biography which recounts his experience growing up with hemophilia, wanting to be a “normal” boy, play sports, rough house and wrestle but his condition required him to be careful and reserved, a difficult task for a child of any age. Emergency room visits and hospital stays were common during Shane’s childhood. At the age of sixteen, doctors diagnosed Shane with HIV, which was a result of the treatment he received for his hemophilia. This diagnosis would be pivotal for the direction the rest of his life would take. He speaks in the book about telling his grandfather about his HIV diagnosis, a conversation which would become the foundation of his outlook on life. His grandfather said no one would blame him if he decided to withdraw and throw himself a pity party but stated he believed Shane wouldn’t do this and in fact would somehow manage to make this new diagnosis a positive thing. Shane did find a way to make his diagnosis a catalyst for awareness of HIV and AIDS and their impact on the…