By A case of blind and perhaps dumb love turns to hate.
A Toronto man who contracted HIV from his former stripper wife is hoping he’s alive to see her get deported to Thailand.
“I am not going to give up my fight,” Percy Whiteman said of his ex, Suwalee Iamkhong. “My life is not a game for anyone to play with.”
Whiteman and his lawyer appeared before a Federal Court of Canada last Thursday in an ongoing battle with immigration officials to get Iamkhong deported due to her criminal record. The case was remanded until Jan. 4.
He has launched a $30-million lawsuit against the Canada Border Services Agency and Zanzibar Strip Club in Toronto in connection with the case.
He claims Iamkhong, 40, a former stripper at the Zanzibar, was allowed into the country with HIV and that led to his life being placed in jeopardy. Lawyers for the government are trying to have the case thrown out.
“I am the one who’s suffering with HIV,” Whiteman said. “My life is on the line and nothing has happened to her.”
The pair were married from 1997 to 2004, when she told him that she had HIV.
Iamkhong arrived in Canada in 1995 and danced at the Zanzibar until 2004. Before that, she had worked as a prostitute in Thailand.
A manager from Zanzibar said today he was not aware of the lawsuit, adding it may have been before his time there.
Iamkhong was sentenced in August, 2007 to two years in jail after being convicted of criminal negligence causing bodily harm for infecting Whiteman.- Edmonton Sun
Even though they are no longer married, under Canadian law Whiteman is still financially responsible for Iamkhong till 2011. I somewhat understand Whiteman’s anger if Canadian immigration failed in their duty. I don’t know if the country’s immigration laws allow someone who is HIV positive to immigrate. Though I have to ask, how couldn’t Whiteman have a clue about his wife’s background?
For over twenty years I worked at one healthcare job or another. Mostly as a radiology technician. AIDS patients and those who test HIV positive always made us wary if not scared. As I and others worked with were only human, we sometimes let our fears alter the way we reacted go these patients. It is human nature to have fears but as professionals we shouldn’t let it interfere with our work.
When I was stationed at Balboa in 1986, a Marine family came through the Naval Hospital. I had some brief interaction with Mutsuko Gaffney and her year-old son John. Both had AIDS, Mutsuko getting infected after receiving a tainted blood transfusion at a Naval Hospital in 1981. Mutsuko gave AIDS not just to her son born in 1985 but caused her husband Martin to become HIV positive also. Another daughter by some miracle did not get the AIDS virus from her infected mother. By 1992, Maureene Gaffney was the only member of her immediate family still alive.
The Gaffney story was horribly tragic. An incompetent Navy doctor allowed her to go to 44 weeks pregnant. This caused the baby to die in utero and a caesarian section had to be performed. Mutsuko lost blood due to the surgery and had to get a transfusion. The blood had been donated a day or two earlier by a service member who was eventually discharged for engaging in homosexual activity.
Mutsuko was a worried mother when we met. She was sick but her main concern was for her son. I did the job I was assigned but without much enthusiasm. Mutsuko and John Gaffney would both be dead within a year or so and they deserved better from the Navy.
I didn’t meet Martin Gaffney, but I heard of his anger at what had been done to him and his family. The Gaffneys were being destroyed because of the failures of others. Martin Gaffney sued the federal government and won a settlement of over Three million dollars. By the time he was paid, Gaffney was days away from dying. He was a Marine to the end, he fought all the battles he faced and with courage. He and his family were failed by those who were supposed to do their utmost to help.
1:00 pm on October 24th, 2009 1
“I am the one who’s suffering with HIV,” Whiteman said. “My life is on the line and nothing has happened to her.”
Nothing has happened to her except the HIV she also has. It seems she may have come to Canada before she knew her future husband, and Canada has been her home for most of her adult life. It seems deportation related to this might be a bit overboard, particularly if she contracted HIV while living in Canada (the husband's claim she came into the country with it may not be valid).
HIV infection no longer need be a death sentence, especially in a country where treatment won't bankrupt the patient. The wife has lived with HIV for maybe as long as fourteen years or more, and the husband for at least five years. If they stay on their meds, they might be around for decades more.
1:19 pm on October 24th, 2009 2
Bill, I know sort of what it is like. I am an attorney and have represented a couple of HIV+ clients. Now my work was nowhere as invasive as yours, but I found myself keeping my distance from them. Also had a habit of thoroughly washing my hands after meeting with them. Totally irrational, but there you go!
9:44 pm on October 24th, 2009 3
[DELETED BY ADMIN]
10:07 pm on October 24th, 2009 4
Another good reason for keeping gays out of the military.
11:33 pm on October 24th, 2009 5
The chances of getting HIV through a needle stick are 1 in 300, and radiologists don't draw blood. Other potentially fatal blood-borne pathogens like the virus that causes Hepatitis C are far more contagious.
11:46 pm on October 24th, 2009 6
By the way it might help if you bothered reading who wrote the posting.
And if you are so great I look forward to reading your almighty opinions on your own blog.
11:49 pm on October 24th, 2009 7
Sonagi,
True but back when I met the Gaffneys alot wasn't known about AIDS and how it was transmitted. The passing of HIV through blood transfusions is now very rare.
12:19 am on October 25th, 2009 8
You don't get it. Since she isn't a Canadian citizen, she could be deported of a serious offense. His position is she must be deported because not informing him of her medical status and infecting him (a crime for which she has been sentenced to 3 years) is a serious offense. He's suing Immigration and her former employer because they apparently knew she was HIV positive and never informed him of it when they got married.
12:25 am on October 25th, 2009 9
I would hope that Canada has better protection for Landed Immigrants than that.
12:55 am on October 25th, 2009 10
<del datetime="2009-10-25T13:58:16+00:00">You're ignorant on so many levels…
For example:
</del>
She was infected from a blood transfusion she received in 1981, a year before AIDS was even named and 4 years before they began testing all blood donations for HIV.
12:09 pm on October 25th, 2009 11
GI KOREA, I believe this is called "Flaming", does not require a response, and the IP should be blocked.
8:42 pm on October 25th, 2009 12
I'm glad you could not find any examples. Sorry to point this out but your statement is incorrect.
8:55 pm on October 25th, 2009 13
Pete
He is correct. AIDS wasn't named till 82 and donated blood not tested till later in the 80's.
Bill
11:07 pm on October 27th, 2009 14
It's funny on one side there is the English teachers who are revolted that they are tested for HIV to get a VISA.
And this guy in Canada who got infected, and is angry that his ex wasn't tested. mmmmmmmh What should I think about that.
11:09 pm on October 27th, 2009 15
That's a really silly comment.
2:26 am on November 23rd, 2009 16
HIV/AIDS is still a problem today despite huge medical advances, i am wondering if there would ever be a cure for this disease .
8:38 pm on December 6th, 2009 17
HIV is a nasty disease. Once you get it, there is no cure for it. Safe sex and abstinence is the only way to avoid getting it.
..“““2
1:53 pm on December 27th, 2009 18
It is quite scary that there is still no cure for HIV/AIDS and the only way we can fight it is by prevention. How long would it take our scientists to develop a cure or vaccine for this disease?
~
3:51 pm on January 13th, 2010 19
If she knew she had HIV/AIDS she committed murder, pure and simple. I you have a fatal disease and do nothing to inform or protect your partner you are a murderer. As for the Gaffney family Marty was my brother-in-law, Mutsuko, my sister-in-law and Johnny & Maureene my niece & nephew. I spent 3 days/2 night at Balboa Naval Medical Center in San Diego with them. Johnny was in a crib that looked like a prison crib with wires and tubes sticking out everywhere. I saw little compassion or concern with his care. The hospital expected me to dress with mask, gown, gloves, etc before entering the room. No way was I going to scarce the crap out of that sweet boy. I entered his room in my normal clothing removed him from his crib and rocked him. I told him how much I loved him and then on the last day I said goodbye. I knew I wouldn't see him alive again. His was a precious angle taken from us too soon. Mutsuko was a sweet, loving woman. Her children and her husband were the most important things in her life. She gave up on life after Johnny died. Marty was a true Marine to the end. He was stoic and his main concern was that his little girl would be well taken care of when he was gone.
I am biased in my opinion about spreading deadly diseases. I lost 3 people I loved very much. I miss them each and every day. Deportation is too good for this woman. She should be tried for murder!
10:42 pm on February 28th, 2010 20
HIV is a disease that is still incurable today. We should always practice safe sex and also educate our people how to avoid the spread of this disease.
6:45 am on April 23rd, 2011 21
Getting deported from Canada is extremely difficult. I don't think giving someone HIV is grounds for deportation even though it is a horrible thing to do.
9:26 am on April 23rd, 2011 22
I agree that since this woman knew that she was HIV positive that she should be tried for attempted murder. If somebody stabbed you with a syringe with HIV tainted blood in it there is no doubt that that person would be charged with attempted murder. This is no different. In the US it used to be illegal for a HIV positive person to come here from abroad. This seems like just plain common-sense to me but PC won again and the law was changed, thanks liberals. I don't know Canadian law but I please would somebody please state the value of allowing a HIV positive immigrant who has knowingly infected people to stay in a country? I really would like to know the answer to that one. I feel terrible about the man involved but if somebody wants to find a wife, marrying a former hooker who works in a strip club from a country with a huge HIV rate might not be the best place to look.
10:22 am on April 23rd, 2011 23
And foreigners dump on Korea for making foreigners get tested and bar them from coming if they're positive.
Just look at this case and see how HIV got spread. There is a big fat reason why Korea has got a very low HIV infection rate. It's because we're very stringent on foreigner testings which keeps out imported problems at bay.
10:35 am on April 23rd, 2011 24
I think it wouldn't necessarily be attempted murder but reckless endangerment, simply because people don't actually die from HIV infection like they did before, if they find out early and get regular treatment.
If they end up dying early, then it would retroactively be murder.
Caveat: I'm not a lawyer.
9:29 pm on April 23rd, 2011 25
Pete #3, Great point! I was waiting for a pro-DADT repeal person to respond to it but nobody did. Tom #23, You have a great point also, in the US for someone to immigrate here they must show proof of vaccination for various diseases. Since there is no vaccination for HIV to me it's just common sense to help slow down the spread of this disease. Even though as Kushibo points out that it is no longer a death sentence, the treatment is very expensive & we as a country don't want to be stuck with the bill for treating immigrants. To help reduce the spread of various diseases is another reason that we as a nation need to control our borders to stop illegal immigration, when I was stationed in El Paso, TX they had a large TB rate largely do to illegal immigration. Kushibo, #24, your point about the charge being reckless endangerment rather than attempted murder seem valid to me however like you I'm not a lawyer.