Sunderland AFC are joining forces with the Saving Lives charity to send a simple message – there should be no stigma when it comes to HIV.
National HIV Testing Week started on Saturday 16 November, with World AIDS Day set to follow on Sunday 1 December, and the new Saving Lives campaign is all about taking a test – and taking control.
In the year that Welsh rugby international Gareth Thomas spoke publicly about his HIV diagnosis, football clubs are showing their support by encouraging more people to get tested.
Medical Director of Saving Lives, Dr Steven Taylor, said: “It’s 2019, and there’s no longer any place for HIV stigma. The truth is that people living with HIV, who are on effective treatment, cannot pass on their infection to their partners and they enjoy the same life expectancy as the rest of us. Prejudice must be a thing of the past.
“It’s easy to get a test. You can get one at your GP, local sexual health clinic, or order one online. There are more than 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK. Of these, over 10,000 do not know they are infected. Stigma still means that some people don’t take the test, but attitudes are changing.
“It’s big news that we can now prevent people with HIV passing the virus to their loved ones. If you have put yourself at risk, we’re encouraging everyone to get tested.”
For more information, please visit www.savinglivesuk.com.
Get a free HIV postal testing kit discretely to your door by www.takeatestuk.com and using the voucher code: WADSL2019
To find your local testing centre, visit www.startswithme.org.uk/where-to-test/.