Gary

I was diagnosed with HIV 15 years ago after having treatment for Leukaemia. It appears that I was given contaminated blood. I was tested without knowing and then my status was leaked to the local press.

The local press ran the story on the front page doing everything but naming me. This lead to being identified by several people who knew me, and one person, who I thought to be a good friend and was a student nurse, told me not to come to her house as her husband thought I might give it to their son.
I felt that within my local community I was being continuously watched and judged.

For a long time I felt that I had to lie to my Grandparents, other relations and friends. During this time my mother, who knew of my status, was called into her manager's office and asked if it was her son that this story in the paper had referred to.

When she said it was they asked if she would mind if this was put on her record as she worked in a food distribution depot. Although policy to record any staff member who had an infectious disease, this question should not have been asked of my mother.

As time went on and people found out about my status they continued to back away. People however, seemed to be more accepting when they found out that I had contracted it during a blood transfusion. I was suddenly seen more as the innocent victim - does that make people who contract HIV through other routes the guilty victims and deserved of being stigmatised? I sincerely hope not!