We were proud to join rugby legend Gareth Thomas to raise awareness of HIV on the Cardiff University campus as part of the Tackle HIV’s Myth Bus Tour.
Alongside Gareth and the Tackle HIV team, Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru spoke to the next generation about the importance of HIV testing, correcting myths and misconceptions about the virus. The visit was part of a tour which included Manchester and Durham as well as Cardiff.
The reality is that we’ve made incredible advancements in preventing, testing and treating HIV. You can live a long, healthy life with HIV – that includes children. Effective treatment means HIV cannot be passed on. But public perceptions haven’t kept up with the pace of change. We are determined to change that and we’re proud to have Gareth Thomas and Tackle HIV by our side in the fight for progress.
At Terrence Higgins Trust, we often talk about HIV with people who remember the dark days of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s. The incredible thing about speaking to students about HIV is that most of them have no knowledge of HIV 40 years ago. We can discuss HIV as a good news story without needing to tackle out-dated information. Re-learning the facts about HIV is much harder than coming fresh to all the progress that’s been made.
Wales was the first UK nation to commit to ending new cases of HIV by 2030. Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru works with the Welsh Government, the Senedd and the wider community to make this ambition a reality. The reality is we will never end the HIV epidemic without eradicating the stigma, which is why campaigns like Tackle HIV are so important. People living with HIV like Gareth Thomas are leading the way when it comes to challenging negative perceptions of the virus, but they cannot bear this burden alone. Every one of us must pledge ourselves as allies against stigma and keep shouting about the facts on HIV.
Tackle HIV has been created by Gareth Thomas and ViiV Healthcare, with the support of Terrence Higgins Trust. Tackle HIV aims to correct misunderstanding, change attitudes and break stigma to ultimately make a difference for people living with HIV and people affected by HIV.
For more information visit www.tacklehiv.org and follow @tacklehiv.
