Testimonials of people living with HIV

With described video

Transcript

Transcript

Daniel:

There’s so many opportunities that I never thought I could, never thought I would have or never thought I was worth having, and, yeah, I’m really excited.

Dee:

Knowing that you can’t transmit the virus once you’re undetectable, like that’s a big deal. It’s a huge deal. It’s a huge breakthrough in HIV science.

Text on screen: U = U (undetectable = untransmittable)

Carlos:

Not everybody living with HIV is aware of what U = U is. It’s something that would change my life as a person living with HIV.

Marvelous:

Finding out about U = U was transformative.

Daniel:

Destigmatizing myself and learning the actual medical facts about it, really changed everything.

Text on screen: Treatment prevents the sexual transmission of HIV.

Pierre:

It doesn’t mean that you’re cured. You have to continue taking your medication, but you can no longer transmit the illness to someone else.

Daniel:

I have a chronic manageable illness just like someone with diabetes. Take your medication every day and you’re good.

Marvelous:

I didn’t let HIV stop me from getting the dreams that I wanted to.

Text on screen: People with HIV on treatment can live long and healthy lives.

Pierre:

When I look back at the outlook I had in 1985, when they told me I had 2 years to live, and when I look at where I am today, I find that my life is absolutely exceptional.

Dee:

I just hope people take the opportunity to just learn more about it. For someone who’s newly diagnosed, I would say educate yourself and reach out to the HIV-AIDS community because, for me, that’s one of my biggest, biggest regrets, is not doing that sooner.

Daniel:

I feel it’s absolutely possible to be living my best life right now.

Carlos:

When you hear people living with HIV talking about U = U, it’s tears of joy.

Text on screen:  Get the facts about HIV. Together, let’s stop stigma. Visit Canada.ca/hiv.

Narrator:

A message from the Government of Canada.