ViiV Healthcare collaborated with three Canadians living with HIV to remind people how scientific innovations are helping people lead long, healthy lives…
Believe it or not, nearly half of all Canadians mistakenly believe that individuals living with HIV have shorter lifespans, even if they are receiving treatment. That shocking statistic is from a recent global HIV perceptions survey, that showed 49 per cent of people across the country wrongly believe that HIV equals a death sentence. In truth, thanks to scientific advancements, people living with HIV can lead long and healthy lives.
The results of that recent survey, and others like it, show the same thing over and over again: public attitudes and knowledge about HIV have not advanced in step with treatment and prevention. It’s one of the reasons why ViiV Healthcare recently partnered with three Canadians living with HIV and interviewed them about their own experiences living with HIV, as well as their future goals, dreams and aspirations. Those interviews, seen in ViiV’s recently released “Faces of HIV’ video, address misinformation about HIV mortality head-on by showing that people living with HIV are in fact leading long, healthy, fulfilling lives.
“Faces Of HIV” features Gabriel Jarquin, an avid marathon runner and HIV/AIDS advocate; Susan Shumba, the coordinator for POWER (Positive Women’s Empowerment and Leadership); and Adrian Betts, who began working with the HIV-positive community 33 years ago during the onset of the pandemic. The three participants all share their own experiences and feelings at the time of their HIV diagnosis, when they didn’t know what was going to happen.
“I just didn’t know what was going to happen, so it was a moment of panic, bit of fear,” says Gabriel.
“I assumed I was going to die. I was told I was going to die,” recalls Adrian, which is echoed by Susan: “Deep down I was feeling like maybe I no longer have a future.”
And how do they feel about their futures now?
“I feel like I have so much energy and so much life to live,” says Gabriel, while Susan echoes the sentiments, saying, “I feel like my future is bright.”
The team behind “Faces Of HIV” also took professional portraits of Gabriel, Susan and Adrian and then worked with an AI artist to age those portraits based on the participants’ hopes for the future. In the video, the aged portraits are revealed to the participants which, of course, provokes a lot of emotion surrounding the context of living and aging with HIV.
“I love it. That’s exactly the sort of future I want for myself,” says Adrian, who is excited to turn 60 in two and a half years.
“Makes me feel good – a lot of optimism, a lot of hope,” says Gabriel. “The reason I share my story is to just inspire others and to not let something like an HIV diagnosis slow them down. Getting older is a gift.”
“It doesn’t look like something that we should be ashamed of but something we should be proud of,” says Susan.
“Faces Of HIV” comes at a time that is especially important as rates of HIV are increasing throughout Canada. Recently released data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) shows that new HIV cases rose by 35 per cent in 2023, versus 24.9 per cent in 2022. This represents the largest yearly increase of new transmissions in over a decade, with 2,434 new cases, according to PHAC.
You can watch the “Faces of HIV” video below:
To learn more about ViiV Healthcare Canada, visit www.viivhealthcare.ca.
This story was made possible with support from ViiV Healthcare Canada.
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