13 MAG 2018 · Here I introduce you to just a few of the myths surrounding HIV. Because of these false ideas that circulate over and over again they build up false credibility and gather weight. We need to stop them dead in their tracks, debunk them and encourage people to stop repeating them. Some of these myths are the cornerstone of the Stigma that people living with HIV encounter, sometimes on a daily basis. But always at the back of their minds. It causes anxiety, isolation and low self esteem. It can lead to poor lifestyle choices and it introduces barriers that stop people from being tested for HIV. We have a large group of people in this country living with HIV yet not knowing it. Living like this is bad for you. Your health will ultimately suffer. Stop worrying about HIV, its managed with a single tablet a day now. Taking medication regularly means you will achieve what’s called an “undetectable viral load”. This means you can’t transmit the virus to anyone. You can lead a normal sex life, have babies even. Safe in the knowledge that NO ONE is being adversely affected. Not even you any more. So, if you are reading this and having a regular sex life, go get tested for HIV. Its no big deal anymore. Whilst you are about it, look into PreP and PEP. I’m saving them for another broadcast, but if you test negative for HIV (which I hope you do), then PreP and PEP will help you stay that way for ever. Its true.

20 GIU 2018 · One of the things I do is to work as a voluntary HIV Peer Mentor at the Sussex Beacon. In this chat I talk to our group Supervisor, Rob Hammond about some of the things we encounter during our sessions which we take back to him for comment and advice. Obviously we maintain a very high degree of confidentiality around our supported peers and no identification can be made from this chat. We talk about stigma from a health care professional towards a person living with HIV, and about someone issued with a food bank voucher being asked if he has AIDS at a food bank. Its actually still shocking when you encounter these situations. We do what we can to help our peers deal with these situations in a way that maintains their dignity and removes the humiliation they feel.

5 LUG 2018 · I found this one quite hard to do. When you live with HIV for a long time, and have a nice home and nice friends and you are becoming comfortable with your HIV, its easy to forget that its not like this for every one. Gary Pargeter of Lunch Positive spoke to me at length about his experiences of HIV stigma and the awful effects it has on some, and I must add, but not all, of the people that attend Lunch Positive. Its hard to listen to in places due to the things that happen to people living with HIV that don’t have a permanent home. Again, utmost confidentiality is in operation and it’s not possible to identify any of the individuals who’s situations we discussed. On the podcast you will hear a snapshot of what can happen. ARV drugs stolen (some have a street value), people being blackmailed and coerced into behaviours because of the stigma around HIV. When people are living like this is can be very difficult for them to adhere to their ARV’s, and if that happens they may not be able to achieve U=U. Stop the stigma and make everyone’s life a little easier, a little less stressful and a little healthier and happier.

5 LUG 2018 · I spent some time talking to Dr Liliana Rodriguez, who from now on I shall refer to as Lili, about herself, her path to this campaign and what it means to her. Its an interesting chat as she and her partner and co-designer Carlos Peralta have an incredible empathy for this project and i was interested to know why. On top of that, this was recorded in July 2018 just before the Colombia Vs England match at the Russia 2018 World Cup , and both Lili and Carlos are originally from Colombia. So it was almost fated that we would all meet up and work on this project at this time. I promised not to mention the match or the result in the interview. But we all know who won.

10 LUG 2018

2 DIC 2018 · Hear Dr Gillian Dean talk about HIV U=U PrEP Iwantprepnow and how people living with HIV CANNOT pass the virus on their partners.

10 MAG 2021 · I am my home