THEGAYUK

Tag: HIV

Read the latest news and analysis of HIV in the UK and abroad. Browse THEGAYUK’s entire archive on news about HIV.

  • COMMENT | What are the HIV positives?

    I’m a guy who has just celebrated living with HIV for a year now (yes, you heard right folks..celebrated) and I’ve taken a secondment recently from my @hivpozguy handle on Twitter as a result.

    Whilst twitter is an amazing source for a guy with HIV to speak with others that have this unfortunate virus, there too are its downsides when you see so much negativity on display. Article after blog after tweet of people moaning about having it; of the side effects associated with the cocktails of medication; the horrible dating experiences owing to HIV; and generally blaming anything going wrong in life on HIV – lack of sleep, colds, stomach problems, stigma issues.

    I’m probably going to open a can of worms here to those reading this from the HIV community, but please, hear me out.

    It made me wonder why don’t we have more voices out there telling us if there are any positives to living with HIV? If we are to battle the stigma of HIV, surely we’re discrediting ourselves, as well as those that came before us, when we dig that stigma hole even deeper with our cynical shovels by harping on about all the rubbish that having HIV brings?

    Here’s an idea – what if we all decided to flip this on its head? – blog about our own rejoices at the prospect of being here, being alive; write articles giving credit to those that came before us; tweet to people the optimism we now face in the advancement of science and medicine; or write about how you ‘came out’ to colleagues/friends and what positive effect this had. Just show everyone that being positive is NOT so negative all the time!

    I understand we live in a society that likes to moan and complain to each other – it’s a nice form of release, I get that – but amongst the HIV community on twitter, which is so public, this needs to stop or at the very least tone down a notch or few.

    We need good news stories out there for those that have just joined our HIV ranks. Have a look at my own blog and you will see amongst my babbling ways that it is peppered with hope and good news about me. I get emails on a regular basis telling me how useful it has been from all walks of life. I am particularly touched when I see friends and family members of newly diagnosed people getting in touch to thank me, it helps them understand what their loved ones are going through.

    So what are the positives I hear you ask? Well, here we go my intrigued one:-

    • For a start, I know my status.. do you? Finding out is the first step for us all being healthier individuals. Only by knowing our status and being tested regularly can we all help in the fight against HIV.
    • Life. Goes. On.
    HIV is not a death sentence; we’re living near-normal life spans now. This will no doubt improve even more given the advances in medicine we’ve experienced over the past 3 decades.

    • HIV is a kick up your backside to be the healthiest you can be alongside taking a few pills each day. I quit smoking, I quit drinking so much, and I got out there and I exercised, I entered cycling and running races for charities. None of this would’ve happened if it wasn’t for HIV. I’m now studying at University and my wedding is only just round the corner now. HIV has the power to transform you to try to become the best you can be.

    • Most of us are on 1-3 pill regimens a day. If anything, the pills introduce some organisation to the day. I never used to eat much in the evenings, but thanks to the pills, I do now and I eat healthier too (albeit for occasional takeaway or chocolate – sometimes it’s bad to be good and it’s good to be bad).

    • As for the side effects of the medication, like anything out there – even throat lozenges – these come with potential side effects. Not everyone gets them. Those that experience any bad effects will naturally moan about them. If things are going right in life, we don’t tend to announce it so why would anyone out there say everything is a-okay with their medication? Well, I’m happy to report – no side effects from me and I’ve been taking my pills for a year now.

    • Dating. Well I’m the kind of chap that is happy and content in or out of a relationship. It falls down to the individual, but love comes in many shapes and forms and it’s up to us to seek where we get that from – friends, family, a partner – these all have the ability to fill your cup up to the brim in different measures depending on the situation.

    Living with HIV isn’t as bleak as one may expect. I hope this piece has enlightened, and it’s not my intention to detract from the seriousness of living with HIV at all. HIV is no laughing matter, but given how much the virus has grown up and changed, along with the successful battle we are putting up against it to date, I think our attitudes towards HIV need to change and evolve as a result.

    This change can only start with those that live with it. I know that I will be refraining from moaning about it in future on my twitter account – I hope others follow suit.

    Follow HIVPozGuy

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Gay former soldier joins fight against un-diagnosed HIV

    James Wharton, a former Lance Corporal with the Blues and Royals, has taken a rapid HIV test to encourage more gay men to test for the virus during this year’s National HIV Testing Week (22nd – 29th November).

    James – the first gay person to appear on the cover of Soldier magazine, the British Army’s official publication – attended the King’s Cross centre of HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust for a simple finger-prick blood test. His negative result was delivered within 15 minutes.

    James Wharton said,
    “I’m proud to be launching National HIV Testing Week. There are lots of people out there who don’t realise how quick and easy it is to test. Modern tests are done in minutes, and you get your result there and then. It’s incredibly important to know your status. I fully believe we can win the fight against HIV, but it’s up to us to keep testing, testing, testing.”

    Figures released by Public Health England this week report that one in five gay and bisexual men with HIV remains unaware that they have the infection and is therefore more likely to pass the virus on. National HIV Testing Week, coordinated by Terrence Higgins Trust and HIV Prevention England, aims to drive down undiagnosed HIV by encouraging those most at risk to get tested.
    An estimated 100,000 gay and bisexual men tested for HIV in 2012. Terrence Higgins Trust is calling on the gay community to halve the level of undiagnosed HIV by increasing the total testing annually to 250,000.

    National HIV Testing Week runs from Friday 22nd – Friday 29th November, and coincides with the first ever European HIV Testing Week. Terrence Higgins Trust will be offering all day testing at its King’s Cross centre (314 – 320 Grays Inn Road, London) from Monday 25th – Friday 29th November, between 10.00am and 8.00pm daily.

    Please visit www.startswithme.org.uk to find your nearest testing service, order a postal testing kit, or pledge your support for the campaign.

  • FILM REVIEW | How To Survive A Plague

    ★★★★★ | How To Survive A Plague

    “Never has so much been owed by so many to so few.” These are the words of Sir Winston Churchill, referring to the efforts of the Royal Air Force pilots fighting the Battle of Britain in 1940, but they are also the words that sprang into my mind after watching David France’s brilliant documentary How To Survive A Plague.

    It tells the story of a small group of men and women, most of them HIV positive, who battled against government indifference and departmental incompetence, to save their own lives. In so doing they helped save the lives of 6.000,000.

    This is a great piece of film-making that documents the courage and determination of these people in the face of appalling obstacles from a government that couldn’t give a damn. The overriding message from the Reagan, and then the Bush administration, was that gay people didn’t matter, that AIDS was a result of bad lifestyle choices, and that we deserved it.

    Using archive footage, we are given stark reminders of the shock tactics they used to bring their plight to the attention of the world, culminating in the display of the 8,288 panels of the AIDS quilt in 1988, and the march on the White House, when relatives and lovers of the dead scattered the ashes of their loved ones onto the White House lawn. These were the days when funeral parlours refused the bodies of people who had died of AIDS, when hospital security guards barred AIDS patients from entering emergency wards.

    Dark times indeed, chillingly brought to life again in the newsreel footage we see in this movie. But anger alone was not going to be enough to win the battle. We learn how these activists became scientists, taking on an intense study of virology, immunology, pharmacology and cellular biology in an attempt to help direct the global research effort.

    Sadly, not all of the activists lived long enough to see the fruits of their labour; to see AIDS (or HIV) become a manageable condition, as it is today. Of those that did, the charismatic Peter Staley emerges as the undoubted star. Given just 18 months to live at the age of 26, he is galvanised into fighting for his life, and there is no doubt that his eloquence (not to mention his youthful good looks) helped spearhead the campaign.

    David France tells this story clearly and unflinchingly, putting us right at the heart of the battle, the occasional heartbreak at failure and the euphoria surrounding success; even the internal rifts and skirmishes. Gripping, moving, inspiring, at times emotionally draining, it is a story that demands to be told. Required viewing for every gay man, particularly those under the age of 30, I recommend it absolutely. We owe our lives to these people. Surely the rest of us can spare them 110 minutes of our time.

     

    Available to buy / view on: Amazon | Amazon Prime |

  • Stephen Crohn Who Helped With AIDS Study Dies At 66.

    The man who’s natural resistance to AIDS helped further the study of the disease has died aged 66.

    Stephen Crohn has died aged 66 in New York City, the cause is being reported as suicide by his sister Amy Crohn Santagata who confirmed that he died on the 23rd August.

    In 1978 his boyfriend Jerry Greenwood was dying of a disease which hadn’t yet been named – and would eventually be one of the first gay men in the US to die of what would be later be named as AIDS.

    Mr. Crohn watched as dozens of his friends succumbed to this new disease which ravaged the gay community in the late 70s and well into the 80s. Yet, Mr. Crohn said that he had been as sexually active as his friends and had taken no special precautions.

    However, Mr. Crohn had a natural resistance to the disease and this led to deeper comprehension and learning about HIV – the virus which causes AIDS.

    He worked throughout his life to help doctors and scientists understand the virus and disease better.

    His resistance to AIDS made him somewhat of a celebrity, with the Independent naming him “The Man Who Can’t Catch AIDS” in an article in March 1996. His story was told in documentaries and interviews around the world.

    He was a freelance editor for Fodor’s Travel and an artist.

    Speaking to the New York Times Ms. Santagata said,

    “My brother saw all his friends around him dying, and he didn’t die,

    “He went through a tremendous amount of survivor guilt about that and said to himself, ‘There’s got to be a reason.’

    “He was quite extraordinary, and then also quite ordinary,” she said.

    To read more about Stephen Crohn life click here

  • Rules Surrounding HIV To Be Modernised To Better Protect Public

    ‘Outdated’ Rules surrounding healthcare workers with HIV will be modernised by the government and it will overturn the ban of the sale of at-home HIV testing kits.

    • Chief Medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies announces changes that will affect legality of ‘at home self testing kits’

    • Healthcare professionals will have rules relaxed in certain medical procedures.

    • Outdated rules date back to the 1980s.

    Around 100,000 people in the UK have HIV but according to statistics around a quarter are living with it undiagnosed. Professor Davies has announced today new strategies to help more people get tested and receive the healthcare they need sooner.

    The Department of Health (DoH) will also lift the ban on healthcare workers with HIV undertaking some medical procedures such as dental and surgical work.

    The DoH has also announced that it will remove the ban on the sale of at-home testing kits, which was introduced in 1992, making it easier for people to get tested earlier and embark on the best treatments available.

    Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said:

    ‘Many of the UK’s HIV policies were designed to combat the perceived threat at the height of HIV concerns in the 1980s and have now been left behind by scientific advances and effective treatments. It is time we changed these outdated rules which are sometimes counter-productive and limit people’s choices on how to get tested or treated early for HIV.

    “What we need is a simpler system that continues to protect the public through encouraging people to get tested for HIV as early as possible and that does not hold back some of our best healthcare workers because of a risk that is more remote than being killed by lightning.’
    If a test indicates a positive result people will need to get a follow-up confirmatory test at an NHS clinic. Clear information about how to interpret the result and what to do afterwards will be included with the kit.

    Sir Nick Partridge, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘Advances in medication have transformed what it means to live with HIV, and it’s great to see regulations starting to catch up. People diagnosed in good time can have full, healthy lives, and effective treatment dramatically reduces the risk of the virus being passed on. So long as the right safeguards are in place, there is now no reason why a dentist or a midwife with HIV should be barred from treating patients, or why people who would prefer to test at home should be denied that chance.

    ‘Legislation plays a vital role in shaping attitudes. We hope these changes continue to improve public understanding of HIV and support for those living with the virus.’

    It is hoped by changing the ‘outdated’ rules that the stigma attached to HIV, will mean that people who are reluctant of using existing testing services will be able to take tests earlier.

    Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust) said:

    ‘We welcome these changes to the guidance on HIV positive healthcare workers undertaking exposure-prone procedures and the removal of the ban on self-testing as we believe it is vitally important that policies are based on up-to-date scientific evidence and not on fear, stigma or outdated information.

    ‘Allowing healthcare workers living with HIV to undertake exposure-prone procedures corrects the current guidance which offers no more protection for the general public but keeps qualified and skilled people from working in the career they had spent many years training for. We know people are already buying poor quality self-testing kits online which is why NAT have campaigned for a change in the law. Legalisation is an important step to ensure they are regulated, accurate and safe.’

  • Sale of “at home” HIV testing kits to be made legal

    HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has welcomed the Department of Health’s announcement that the sale of HIV self-testing kits is to be made legal in the UK.

    Policy Director Lisa Power said: “We warmly welcome this decision, which Terrence Higgins Trust has long campaigned for. People deserve to have a choice about how and where they test for HIV and proper regulation will make self-testing a safe and supported option for many more people across the country. The public response to our highly successful home sampling scheme shows that many people who have never tested before, or who have been putting off a visit to a clinic, are willing to test at home.

    “Currently, most HIV transmission in the UK is driven by the 25,000 people who have HIV but have not yet been diagnosed. Anything that encourages these people to test, take control of their health and get treatment is a welcome advance.”

    Since 1992, the sale of self-testing kits for HIV has been illegal in the UK. Kits can currently be purchased over the internet, but they are unregulated, often of very poor quality and lack important information on HIV transmission and where to get support.

    In 2010, Terrence Higgins Trust surveyed 657 people via newsletters, social media, and other online media. Of the 490 respondents that had not tested HIV-positive, 63% said they would consider using HIV self-testing kits if they were legalised and 51% thought legalisation would make them test more often. Among gay men, one of the groups most at risk of HIV in the UK, 60% thought legalisation would make them test more often.

    In January 2013, Terrence Higgins Trust and Public Health England co-launched their first HIV home sampling scheme, where people in groups at an increased risk of infection could request a free HIV test by post. Since launch, the scheme has provided almost 9,000 home sampling kits to gay men and Africans in England, receiving over 1,400 requests in the first month alone.

    For more information on HIV testing options, including Terrence Higgins Trust’s community testing clinics and home sampling service, please visit www.tht.org.uk.

  • Two Men ‘Free Of HIV’ After Bone-Marrow Transplant

    Two men in the US have been taken off their HIV medication after bone-marrow transplants seemingly clears the virus from their bodies.

    Doctors at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, have cautiously announced that two men who were infected with HIV have been cleared of the virus for months.

    One of the patients has spent nearly four months off his anti-retroviral drugs – with no signs that the infection is returning. The other man stopped taking his medication 7 weeks ago.

    The two men, who have not been identified, have been living with the virus for 30 years.

    Speaking to the BBC Dr Timothy Henrich said,

    “We have not demonstrated cure, we’re going to need longer follow-up.

    “What we can say is if the virus does stay away for a year or even two years after we stopped the treatment, that the chances of the virus rebounding are going to be extremely low.

    “It’s much too early at this point to use the C-word [cure].”

    He continued in saying that even the virus seemed to have disappeared it could still be hiding inside ‘brain tissue or the gastrointestinal track.”

    Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “It is too early to know whether HIV has been eradicated from these men’s bodies or whether it might return. However, the case suggests that what happened to Timothy Ray Brown, the Berlin Patient was perhaps not a one-off.
    “A bone marrow transplant is a complex and expensive procedure, which comes with significant risks. For most people with HIV, it would be more dangerous to undergo a transplant than to continue managing the virus with daily medication. While this is by no means a workable cure, it does give researchers another sign-post in the direction of one. Until a cure is found, we urge people to continue using condoms and testing for HIV if they’ve put themselves at risk.”

  • Find your perfect condom

    HIV Prevention England launches online service to help gay men find their perfect condom.

    Gay and bisexual men in England will be able to access made-to-measure advice on how to find their perfect condom, as Terrence Higgins Trust and HIV Prevention England (HPE) launch a new online service called ‘Fits Me’.

    From Tuesday 2nd July, men can access the new service by visiting www.startswithme.org.uk. The service asks simple questions about size, sensitivity and latex allergy, before giving personalised advice on what type of condom will provide the best fit and give more sensation. Men can then choose to purchase that brand (or others) from campaign partner Freedoms (www.freedoms-shop.nhs.uk) at a significantly reduced price, or take advantage of an introductory offer from custom-fit condom retailer They Fit (www.theyfit.co.uk).

    Gay and bisexual men remain one of the groups most at risk of HIV infection in England. Using condoms – alongside regular HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment for those living with HIV – has been identified as a key factor in halting the spread of the epidemic among the gay community. Using condoms and lube when having anal sex drastically reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, being passed on. A recent study showed that, if every gay man in the UK had stopped using condoms in 2000, there would have been an extra 80,000 HIV infections within the community by 2010.

    Cary James, Head of Health Promotion at Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

    “No self-respecting gay man would go to a shoe shop and pick up a random pair of trainers, so why go with the first condom that comes to hand? We want to remind guys that selecting the right condom for you is a consumer decision. These days there’s a huge range of brands out there – in different sizes, shapes, thicknesses and materials – and just a little bit of research can yield a big improvement in sensation. We hope our new ‘Fits Me’ service will make it even easier for guys to find their perfect fit, and help them to stay safe while having the best experience possible.”

    As well as the ‘Fits Me’ service, the website also carries information on the different types of condoms and lubricants available. It will be promoted through press and online adverts, leaflets, posters in gay venues, and on tens of thousands of condom packs distributed at venues and events across the country. The campaign will also be rolled out across England through a network of regional organisations, funded by HPE to promote the campaign in their local communities.

    HIV Prevention England is a partnership of community organisations headed by Terrence Higgins Trust and funded by the Department of Health to carry out national HIV prevention work in England among communities at an increased risk of infection.

  • HIV Campaign ” It Starts With Me”

    Health Protection Agency has given two years of funding to the Terrence Higgins Trust to deliver the ‘It Starts With Me’ HIV Campaign. This campaign focuses on three aspects: Test, Treat and Protect.

    Did you know that 8 out of 10 gay men get HIV from a man that doesn’t know that he’s got it? Or that 100,000 people in the UK have HIV but don’t know it? If these aren’t good enough reasons to encourage you to get a HIV test here are some more: regular testing gives you piece of mind, it’s free, confidential and convenient.

     

    You can arrange an appointment at your local sexual health clinic or even do a test through a postal kit. Jake, our Editor, recently reviewed the home testing kit. ‘It Starts With Me’ campaign even has a ‘Do I need an HIV test?’ Questionnaire, answer five quick and easy questions to establish if you need a HIV test. Earlier testing helps get quicker access to treatment for those that are HIV positive.

     

    A better understanding of HIV has led to treatment that gives a HIV positive person a feeling of better health and a longer life. According to ‘It Starts With Me,’ earlier treatment can extend your life expectancy by about 10 years; equally delaying testing and starting treatment can cost you 10 years of your life.

     

    The Campaign video (below) says that treatment stop the spread of HIV by reducing amount of HIV in a HIV positive person’s blood stream to an ‘undectable level’ meaning that they are unlikely to pass on HIV. Watch the video here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqMxrLqHAVo

     

    The Department for Health, Terrence Higgins Trust and all other sexual health organisations recommend the use of condoms when having sex. Condoms are the best way to Protect against HIV, especially when 8 out of 10 gay men get HIV from a man who doesn’t know that he’s got it.

     

    Gay men 25-29 years old are most likely to test HIV positive, but HIV doesn’t discriminate on age, gender, race, sexuality or for any other reason. If you’re worried about HIV you can speak to your GP, local sexual health clinic, or call Terrence Higgins Trust on 0808 802 1221. If you’ve got a sexual health question, visit TheGayUK sexual health section:http://www.mysexhealth.thegayuk.com

     

    If you’ve recently been diagnosed HIV positive, the forums on: http://www.myhiv.org.uk are said to be helpful along with Terrence Higgins Trust Website.

     

    There are also several bloggers who share their experience living with HIV; here are just a few of them:

     

    Alex: HIV & Me

    Website: http://alexsparrowhawk.wordpress.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/birdy_tweet

     

    HIVing The Dream

    Website: http://hivingthedream.wordpress.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/HIVingTheDream

     

    HIVPozGuy

    Website: http://hivpozguy.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/hivpozguy

     

    UKPositiveLad

    Website: http://www.ukpositivelad.com

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/UKPositiveLad

     

    Remember to get tested regularly, if you’re HIV positive to get treatment and always protect yourself using condoms when having sex. Together we can and will stop the spread of HIV.

  • Hope for a HIV vaccine

    The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) announced last week that they are starting a clinical trial for a HIV vaccine, based in London and two centres in Africa.

    Laboratories in London – UK, Kigali – Rwanda and Nairobi – Kenya will recruit 64 healthy HIV-free adults for phase one of the trial that is expected to last for two years. Volunteers will receive two vaccines and not be at risk of catching HIV.

    HIV affects 34 million people worldwide, of which there are 96,000-100,000 in the UK. HIV is found in bodily fluids and people are usually infected by: unprotected sex with someone who is HIV positive, reusing injecting equipment that has been used by someone who is HIV positive or transmission from mother to baby.

    HIV attacks the immune system in the affected individual, weakening the body’s ability to fight other infections and diseases. You can find out more about HIV on the NHS Choices Website. Over the last few decades there have been massive advances in treatment; that have focused around slowing down the damage HIV causes to the immune system.

    IAVI have admitted that the clinical trials are in their early stages. Clinical trials usually take at least 10 years and usually cost billions of pounds. There are many on-going research projects focused on trying to create a HIV vaccine. So it’s likely that there wont be an effective HIV vaccination for at least a decade.

    Jason Warriner, Clinical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, when asked about IVAI’s clinical trial said,

    “We welcome investment in the search for a vaccine against HIV. This research is in its very earliest stages. Clinical trials take several years to complete and, even if the vaccine passes this first stage of tests, more research will be needed over the course of many years.

    “Although an HIV vaccine has so far remained stubbornly out of reach, we now understand how to prevent transmission better than ever before. A combination of widespread condom use, regular testing for HIV, and getting those with the virus onto the right treatment, could drastically reduce HIV within a generation.”

    A HIV vaccine would protect people from catching HIV and would most likely be administered to those in high-risk groups including gay men. The ability to prevent people from catching HIV would be a significant step forward in the fight against HIV; as it would stem the number of people becoming infected.

    For those that are already HIV positive, the vaccine will not be a cure. It is likely that they will have to continue with their treatment. However people who are HIV positive should take hope from the fact that there’s a number of on-going research projects looking into potential cures for HIV, and ways to reverse some of the damage HIV causes to the immune system.

    While we wait for a HIV vaccine, health professionals continue to recommend that gay people use condoms when having sex and that they are regularly tested for HIV at least once a year.

  • Hope For Long-Term HIV Unemployed

    Terrence Higgins Trust calls for participants and mentors for return of Back to Work scheme.

    Team Working At Desks In Busy Office
    Team Working At Desks In Busy Office

    From today, people with HIV who are long-term unemployed will be able to apply for Terrence Higgins Trust’s Back to Work scheme. This year for the first time, the charity is also calling for professionals to volunteer as mentors to those enrolled on the programme.

    In the UK, around 25% of people with HIV are currently unemployed. Thanks to modern drug treatments, many can return to work, but – if they have had a long period of ill health – they may lack confidence, or feel they no longer have the skills or stamina required to find a job in an increasingly competitive market.

    The Back to Work scheme was set up in 2011, with the aim of easing unemployed people with HIV back into the workplace. Each year, Terrence Higgins Trust enrols a small group on a six month work placement within the charity, helping them to develop skills and experience that will get them back on their chosen career path. The scheme has been a great success; of the 10 individuals that completed the course in 2012, two are now in full-time employment, one is on a government work programme, and five are continuing their professional development.

    After finding out he had HIV in 2009, Richard spent a few years out of work. When he felt ready to restart his career, however, he found his career break made it difficult to get interviews. Richard joined the Back to Work scheme in 2012, as part of which he worked in a number of the charity’s departments and received CV and interview tuition, as well as regular mentoring and support from a life coach.

    Richard said: “Prior to starting on the Back to Work scheme, my confidence was taking a battering with every knock back. But Terrence Higgins Trust saw my potential rather than the gaps on my CV. Within a couple of months, I had a part-time role within the charity, which provided an excellent springboard back into the workplace. Just from getting the interview, my confidence has grown and grown.

    “I’m now lucky enough to have two jobs, working for a housing association and also part-time at THT. It’s fair to say I’m a different person today, and could never have achieved everything I have without the help of the scheme. I can honestly say it’s the best thing that’s happened in my life.”

    Ruth Burns from Terrence Higgins Trust said: “Our Back to Work scheme has gone from strength to strength. Each year, we see the initial nerves fall away as our participants transform into polished, confident professionals; a real asset to any workplace. We want this year’s scheme to be just as successful, and would encourage anyone with HIV who feels they need a boost up on to their career ladder to get in touch.”

    The Back to Work scheme 2013 is open to anyone living with HIV, who has been unemployed for two years or more or is receiving benefits. Placements have been confirmed in London and Bristol, and Terrence Higgins Trust hopes to offer places at further offices across the country. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 30th April. People with HIV can also access a wealth of careers advice, including online support from an advisor, by signing up to www.myhiv.org.uk.

    For further information, and to apply, please visit www.tht.org.uk/backtowork. To express interest in becoming a mentor on the scheme, please email backtowork@tht.org.uk.