1, A few weeks ago a friend told me he was living with HIV. It caught me off guard & upset me a little. He hasn’t found it very easy, he confided that he hates his 6 monthly check ups because they remind him of everything he thought his life wouldn’t be.

2, World AIDS Day is almost upon us, I’m reminded how lucky I and we are. I’m also reminded that we still have so much more work to do. I never really struggled with my status but I struggled plenty with the diagnoses of people I loved dearly before my own diagnosis.

3, So I paid my tax. Getting that news is always a shock. I made a decision that I wouldn’t make my life any harder because of that news. I decided to utilise the opportunity and I’ve never regretted it.

4, The liberation and empowerment of being open and upfront was greater than I expected. I was lucky, maybe I’m even the minority. But that makes me sad - it should be that way for everyone.

5, But it’s not. So as sad as I’ve felt about my friend - I’m equally motivated to carry on doing the work we do to chip away at this scenario.