A Positive Voice

I have been diagnosed as HIV positive since 1991 and have chosen to speak publicly about living with the virus for the past 15 years. In that time I have undertaken over 700 public speaking engagements to a wide variety of audiences including schools, health service providers, the police, social services, church groups, youth groups, and further education colleges.

I have participated in programmes for both national and local radio in support of World AIDS Day. I have also appeared in a number of magazine and newspaper articles and in 2001 I was one of three women featured in the critically acclaimed BBC2 documentary 'Positive Women'.

Since 2002 I have been offering 'A Positive Voice' lecture to schools across the UK. The talk is a frank, honest and sometimes even amusing account of my life with HIV. A variety of topics can be covered in a talk including:

• being diagnosed as HIV positive;
• disclosure to family and friends;
• sexual health and relationships;
• health care and treatment;
• coping with illness;
• death and dying;
• the national and international picture in relation to HIV / AIDS

To date I have spoken in over 120 schools across the UK. The coming academic year looks like it may be my busiest to date with over 40 lectures already booked in between September-December 2007.

I hope to keep this blog updated more regularly than my last feeble attempt back in 2005 which only managed two entries! Only time will tell.