Emma Cole - HIV Seen From a Long-Term Survivor’s Perspective

Living with HIV now has changed a lot compared to 30 years ago; the scientists have made major breakthroughs and the treatment is really effective now in suppressing the viral load, making people undetectable and untransmittable and helping them live a normal life. Also, the access to information about HIV and AIDS has improved considerably but still, the majority of the concerns and the questions asked are the same as 25 – 30 years ago.

In today’s episode, Emma shares with us how it was to live with HIV without hiding it, in a period when people were afraid to even shake your hand.

Emma Cole is an HIV activist from the UK who speaks out publicly as an HIV positive woman in an attempt to break down the misperceptions that many still have about HIV. Emma has lived with HIV for 28 years, smashing the 8 to 10 years she had been given to live. Since then, she has undertaken over 1,000 public speaking engagements to a wide variety of audiences, including schools, health service providers, the police, social services, church groups, and colleges. Through her public speaking, she offers insight into how the virus affects those living with it, mentally and physically.

In her 26th year of living with HIV, Emma ran all 26 miles of the London marathon, proving how she can still do anything she had put her mind to. Emma was featured in a number of magazine and newspaper articles and she has also participated in programs for both national and local radio in support of World AIDS Day. In 2001, Emma was one of three women featured in the critically acclaimed BBC documentary, “Positive Women”, and more recently she was the opening speaker at TEDx Guildford 2018.

So, listen to Episode 11 of Positively Alive, to learn the story of a woman who accepted her diagnosis from day one and fought to destigmatize it since then.

Questions I ask:

• Could you take us back to the year 1991 and the moment you received the news and what impact this has had on your life? (03:37)
• How do you feel the reality was different back then than what it is today? (07:10)
• There's a recently conducted survey in Belgium that states that long-term survivors are more prone to loneliness and depression. Is that also the case in the UK? (10:18)
• From your perspective as a long-term survivor and HIV activist, how has the ignorance, prejudice, the stigma, and the fear changed in your opinion, or hasn't it at all? (16:08)
• Is there a specific demographic that you would say is more important to target when it comes to HIV education in the UK? (30:49)
• Is there any specific dream you have as an HIV advocate? (32:50)

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Emma coped with the news of being HIV Positive. (05:13)
• What Emma wanted to prove by running the 26-miles marathon on her 26th year of living with HIV. (11:32)
• Emma’s opinion on U=U. (13:02)
• What Emma sacrificed by accepting to be a part of the BBC documentary, “Positive Women” and how exposing herself publicly has impacted her life. (16:29)
• What Emma does through her organization, “Positive Voice”. (26:37)
• Emma’s message to people living with HIV, from a long-term survivor’s perspective. (33:27)

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