Uphill and Into the Wind by Willard Helmuth

Eric is a twelve year old boy with hemophilia. He harbors a great deal of resentment about his disease and his overprotective parents, who will not let him participate in normal childhood activities. In addition, he is in constant battle with his older brother who has been fortunate enough to escape the disease. But his major concern is a fear of AIDS, which he has heard about but understands poorly.

Gradually, Eric and his brother learn to get along together, and his parents become less protective of him. The family takes a six-day long-distance bike trip with two of the boys’ friends. At the end of the bike tour, they spend a few days at a camp for children with disabilities. Here, Eric meets a boy with AIDS. A strange friendship develops and Eric acquires more misconcep-tions about AIDS. Eventually, these misconceptions are correct-ed as Eric and his family finally learn to communicate with one another and respect one another’s feelings.

This is an action packed, different kind of novel, written on two levels. There is the psychological dueling between the two brothers, and Eric’s personal psychological hell.

There are also the very physical sequences of biking and injury.

Uphill And Into The Wind is based upon professional and first hand information. Dr. Helmuth is a pediatrician, currently the medical director of the Union County (North Carolina) Health Department, where he is in charge of the programs for immunizations and infectious disease.  He also has a high-risk pediatric clinic there for economically deprived children.