Living with HIV
Blue Sky Trust Member Stories
Commissioned by Eyes Open
Mark was diagnosed with HIV back in 1997, when treatment for HIV was only just being introduced. Mark talks about how he has navigated and overcome some shocking experiences of discrimination and how he now helps to raise awareness of HIV and helps others living with it.
Andy shares his story of living with HIV for many years, being diagnosed in 2000. With a normal CD4 count (measure of the strength of his immune system), Andy did not start medication straight away – something that does happen now.
Becky is a mother of 3. Becky shares her experience of being diagnosed in Africa, marrying her husband who is not living with HIV and breastfeeding her babies. She also gives some wise advise on how to view HIV and how to get support to live well.
Toby talks about finding out he was living with HIV after going for an HIV test due to a seroconversion illness (an early sign that his immune system was being weakened after becoming HIV+). With little prior knowledge of HIV, Toby talks about his journey from shame to self compassion and wellbeing. Toby talks about U=U (undetectable=untransmittable), this means that when people take medication regularly, they can’t pass on to sexual partners
Listen to Julieanne’s story. Julieanne has been living with HIV for nearly 20 years. She would like to educate people about HIV, stigma and discrimination which can be upsetting and devastating for some people. Julieanne speaks about her own experiences of stigma and would like to speak up for people who don’t feel they have a voice.
Can’t pass it on (U=U)
In 2019, it was estimated that there were 105,200 people living with HIV in the UK. 94% of these people were diagnosed, and therefore know that they have HIV. This means that around 1 in 16 people living with HIV in the UK do not know that they have the virus. 98% of people diagnosed with HIV in the UK are on treatment, and 97% of those on treatment are virally suppressed which means they can’t pass the virus on. Of all the people living with HIV in the UK, 89% are virally suppressed.
In the UK we now have medications that can treat HIV, which allows people to live a near normal life expectancy, which is so different to the life expectancy people were told in the 80’s and early 90’s, but still today there is a lot of ignorance, stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV.
If a person adheres to HIV medication, the virus in the blood reduces to undetectable levels. We can now say with complete confidence that people, living with HIV and on effective treatment, can no longer pass on HIV to others, even when sex is unprotected. This is called U=U which stands for Undetectable = Untransmittable.
Listen to what U=U means to Blue Sky Trust members……..
Websites with useful information
Terrance Higgin’s Trust are the UK’s leading HIV and Sexual health charity. They support people living with HIV and amplify their voices, and help the people using their services to achieve good sexual health.
National Aids Trust are the UK’s HIV rights charity. They work to stop HIV from standing in the way of health, dignity and equality, and to end new HIV transmissions.
Changing Perceptions is a community-led project, shaped and guided by people who responded to the Positive Voices survey.
Looped in is created and run by NAT (National AIDS Trust). It allows users to create custom webpages that can be shared with others to support conversations about HIV.
HIV Testing
Order now, test at home, results by text
Home testing kist enables you to provide a small blood sample, collected from a finger prick. It is really easy!
Some samples will be tested for both HIV and syphilis, some for STI’s, HIV & syphilis and others for HIV only, check the lab card that comes with your kit.