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Young Woman's HIV Secret Shatters Stigma
14 Feb
Summary
- Ellie Harrison was diagnosed with HIV at 21, initially hiding her status.
- She advocates for HIV awareness, aiming to dispel outdated stigmas.
- Many receive late HIV diagnoses, compromising their immune systems.
Ellie Harrison, now 29 and residing in Manchester, received a life-changing HIV diagnosis at the young age of 21. Initially having no symptoms and expecting a clean bill of health, the positive result left her confused and grappling with societal stigma.
For seven years since her 2018 diagnosis, Ellie has dedicated herself to public advocacy. She aims to be the role model she wished she had and actively works to shift persistent, outdated attitudes surrounding HIV.
Her personal journey involved immense struggle, including concealing her status from friends and colleagues for years. She experienced pity and judgment, forcing her to confront the misconceptions that HIV is solely a 'gay disease'.
Ellie emphasizes that HIV is manageable with a daily pill, rendering it undetectable and untransmittable. She highlights that many individuals, particularly women, are unaware of their risk or the availability of testing.
Data from the Terrence Higgins Trust indicates that in the North West, 45% of individuals received late HIV diagnoses in 2024. Only 20% of adults in England have ever been tested for HIV.
Ellie supports the Terrence Higgins Trust's campaign for increased testing, aligning with England's goal to eliminate new HIV transmissions by 2030. Complimentary HIV home testing kits are available during National HIV Testing Week.
She asserts that HIV can be eradicated by 2030 without a vaccine, a monumental achievement. Ellie is committed to normalizing HIV, making it less scary, and encouraging widespread testing.
