We, the young adult HIV Team at Guy’s and St Thomas’, are doing the 10k run on 29th March in Kew Gardens. We look after people who are diagnosed with HIV in childhood and as young adults.

Unfortunately, there is still a huge amount of stigma experienced by people living with HIV. The legacy of past media coverage can and in some cases has affected attitudes and behaviours in ways we don’t realise. This can lead to unintentional stigma and unlawful discrimination within us or our organisations. Stigma not only negatively impacts the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV but is also the number one barrier in achieving the UK’s goal of zero new HIV infections by 2030.

Sadly and shockingly, one of our young adults who was born with HIV has experienced stigma from the police and has been incarcerated twice. The arrests were on the grounds of his diagnosis with no medical justification. As a medical profession we now advise people who are on treatment with a stable and undetectable viral load that they are unable to transmit to sexual partners and therefore do not need to share their diagnosis. The police seem unaware of this and have put a sexual risk order on this young person mandating that he discloses his diagnosis to all partners within a week. The impact of these events on him and his family are long-lasting. The National Aids Trust are supporting his case but, he needs help with funding towards the legal fees.

This is where you and us come in. Our aim is to raise £5000 so that his case can be heard and justice served. We are aware that highlighting and winning this case will not just be for our patient but many more individuals who experience stigma in various ways. We hope you can support us with this cause.

Thank you in advance!

Audrie, Lynn and Jess