World Aids Day 2009 - Info & Helplines
The theme to this year’s World Aids Day is ‘Real Stories’. I am often frustrated by the levels of ignorance displayed by the British public when it comes to HIV and Aids. This manifests itself in several ways, from callers to the show & the shockingly unreasonable discrimination experienced by positive people to the frightening grip the virus still seems to have in this country.
The subject remains taboo amongst many people. It never comes up in conversation amongst groups of friends & the facts remain a mystery to many as a result. I truly believe that talking about HIV and hearing people’s ‘real stories’ of their experiences of living with the virus is the best way to continue to break down these barriers.
Ignorance is never bliss in my opinion and that was never more the case than here. It is only by being fully aware of your HIV status that you can then make the right decisions about your health. An early diagnosis gives you far greater options when it comes to treatment and the prognosis is infinitely better as a result. The people who die from Aids in the UK today are those who end up in hospital, years after contracting the virus without ever knowing they had it.
To mark World Aids Day 2009 I was joined in the studio by Dr Rachael Jones, a consultant in HIV at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Deborah Jack, the chief executive of the National Aids Trus and my resident sex and relationships expert, Susan Quilliam. To listen to the discussion again – click here.
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A thought from Susan Quilliam:
Here's the bad news. Everyone with an active sex life is in danger of catching HIV unless they use protection. I receive letters and emails every year from readers and listeners who never thought it would happen to them - until they get the diagnosis. And once they do, it's like a huge stone dropped into the middle of their lives, affecting not only them but their intimate relationship, their friends, their family, their career...
Here's the good news. Compared to twenty years ago, HIV is no longer a death sentence - and there are huge amounts of practical and emotional support available. That huge stone may drop into the centre of your life, but it doesn't have to destroy it.
So how do you feel when the first diagnosis comes through? Charles told me "It's exactly like a grieving process, you're mourning the loss of your life as it was before. At first it's shock and denial, you think they've got the tests wrong. Then you get sad, angry and depressed in turns."
And that same grieving process affects those around you. Some may not believe it's true, others will cry with you, others - sadly - will cut off from you. "When my partner heard, he walked away" Carrie wrote to me "so I've lost my lover as well as my health." Others, however, will step up marvellously - you really find out who your friends are in this situation. "My diagnosis meant I had to come out to my parents as gay" said James "and now we're closer than ever."
What everyone needs in this situation is firstly information and secondly emotional support. Information helps sufferers feel more in control of their situation - and helps friends and family to understand what is and isn't possible, to see through the myths and to reduce the fear. Emotional support is vital because the more supported you all are, the better you will handle the roller coaster - and come through to live a life that is full, rich and rewarding.
Thankfully both kinds of help are available. Nowadays there are fantastic organisations like the Terence Higgins Trust (www.tht.org.uk, 0845 1221 200) that can help everyone cope better. - at whatever stage of the illness they are So whether you've just been diagnosed or have been living with HIV for a while, whether it's you who is directly affected or whether you are a friend or family, get help right now.
A final, optimistic thought. Charles, whom I mentioned earlier, was first diagnosed in 1987. Twenty two years later, he is still healthy and active, running a hotel in the West Country and in a solid and loving relationship with partner Pete. I know this not because Charles wrote and told me, but because he is also a friend of mine. Thank you, Charles, for helping me understand what it means to have HIV - and for giving hope to so many people in your situation.
A thought from Deborah Jack of the National Aids Trust:
World AIDS Day is 1 December.
More people than ever before are living with HIV in the UK, over 85,000, and many Londoners are affected. Although more people than ever before have HIV, less people think they know someone with HIV. This year the World AIDS Day campaign is raising awareness and tackling myths and misunderstandings by putting lived experiences and real life stories at the heart of the campaign. The theme is HIV: Reality.
People can read real stories about HIV, learn the facts and find what’s events are happening in their local area at www.worldAIDSday.org.
Londoners can show their support by buying a red ribbon from Lloyds pharmacy, H&M, Gap or MAC cosmetics, or from National AIDS Trust volunteers who will be out on the streets of London this Saturday and Tuesday collecting for this important cause.
You can find out about the work NAT does throughout the year at www.nat.org.uk. If anyone is worried about their sexual health and needs advice they should call the Sexual Health Helpline on 0800 567 123 (free from landlines).
A thought from Dr Rachael Jones of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital:
World AIDS Day, on December 1st, serves as a reminder of all the people we have lost to HIV/AIDS and those living with the infection. It should also encourage us to test for HIV. If diagnosed early, people living with HIV are likely to remain well- medication can treat the infection successfully, allowing an excellent quality of life.
The rates of infection continue to increase. In 2008, just over 3000 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in London and around 25,000 needed HIV care. Of these, almost half are men who have sex with men (MSM), and one third are from Black African backgrounds.
It is estimated that 1:3 individuals with HIV are not aware that they have the infection. An estimated 35,000 people in the UK are thought to be HIV positive but many have not yet tested.
HIV prevalence is highest in inner London: Lambeth has been greatly affected, with 1 in 100 adults living with HIV.
Many people are afraid to test for HIV but early diagnosis is crucial. Over half of people living with HIV were diagnosed late which may result in significantly increased morbidity and early death, as well as the risk of unknowingly transmitting the infection.
The best way of protecting yourself, and others, is to know your status. The NHS offers free and confidential testing via sexual health clinics found all over the UK. Many clinics offer Point of Care HIV tests where the result is available in minutes.
If you would like more information, or for an appointment to test, please contact the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on 020 8846 6699 or visit us on-line at www.chelwest.nhs.uk.