Ryan Lewis, Macklemore's right-hand man, has deemed it time to share with the world the brave story of his mother, Julie -- and her HIV positive diagnosis.

"A huge part of what's made me who I am, is something I haven't talked about in interviews," Lewis revealed via his family's Indiegogo campaign. "If I could just take a few moments of your time, I'd love to tell you about the strongest woman that I know, my mom, Julie Lewis."

"In 1984, my mom gave birth to my older sister, Teresa. Due to a complicated delivery, she needed a blood transfusion and at that moment, my mom had HIV+ blood put into her body," the music producer explains on the website. "When she was finally diagnosed, she was given only a few years to live. By that time, she had already given birth to my sister Laura and me." Fortunately for Lewis and his sister, neither contracted the virus.

And "thanks to advanced medicine and healthcare available here in the U.S.," his mother is still alive and doing well today -- which is exactly why Lewis and his family have created the 30/30 Project, which raises funds to help "build health centers worldwide that will stand strong for at least thirty years."

To learn more about The 30/30 Project and donate to the cause, visit the 30/30 Project's Indiegogo site.

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