[10] Fisher decided to be open about her HIV status, and after the Detroit Free Press published her story in February 1992, she was invited to speak at the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, Texas.
[13][14] "A Whisper of AIDS" address has been featured in rhetoric texts including the framed Chambers Book of Speeches.
[3][12] In October 1992, President George Bush appointed her to the National Commission on AIDS to replace basketball star Magic Johnson.
[17] Fisher did not return for the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; she was replaced by fellow AIDS activist (and "abstinence-only" proponent) Patricia Funderburk Ware.
[18] In 1999, Fisher made news when she, like some other HIV-positive people, decided to stop taking anti-HIV medications which she felt were hurting her quality of life.
[19][20] Fisher was convinced that the hostile effects of these medications were not only disrupting her own life but also impacting the well-being of her own family as well, preventing all of them from leading fulfilling lives.
[20] She undergoes regular monthly testing to carefully track the level of the virus persisting in her bloodstream, in addition with the status of her immune cells.
[20] The diligent monitoring on Fisher underscores her commitment to managing her health condition effectively and making certain that she can continue to prioritize her responsibilities as a parent for her children.
Fisher's international work has focused on Africa and especially Zambia and Rwanda, where she has led fact-finding tours and promoted income-generation projects to employ HIV-positive women.
[24] A special show featuring her work, titled "CHI: Art as a Healing Medium", is held annually in November.
An autobiography called My Name is Mary: A Memoir illustrates the story of her life from childhood to divorce, including learning she contracted HIV from her ex-husband, her alcoholism, and her goal to spread knowledge of AIDS around the world.