'I take a single tablet - I can't transmit HIV in any way, shape or form'
One tablet a day is all it takes for former Wales player Gareth Thomas to know that he cannot transmit HIV in any way. The treatment is simple, non-invasive and allows the former Wales rugby captain to live a normal, healthy, happy life.
And yet, according to a recent survey, fewer than one in five people are aware that with effective treatment those living with HIV cannot pass it on to their sexual partner.
That survey of 4,000 people was undertaken by Tackle HIV, a new initiative launched by former Wales rugby captain Thomas in association with ViiV Healthcare to improve public understanding of HIV and break the stigma that surrounds it.
For Thomas, this is about education. Not educating those with HIV, but everyone else. He explained: “We still live in a society and a world where stigma holds back people being able to be honest about living with HIV. Because the truth is, I live with HIV, I take a single tablet every day.
“I’m on effective treatment that means I can’t transmit HIV in any way, shape or form. I live my life with HIV with no limitations. I’m not saying that people who stigmatise are wrong and should know better, because I had my own stigma. When I found out I was living with HIV, I thought I was going to die.
It’s people like you who have power, that make people like me , fight every day to stop the mis information and discrimination you cause. ? https://t.co/YUpSUXu6TB
— Gareth Thomas (@gareththomas14) June 16, 2020
“I’m not shouting at people, I’m just telling them we can create a better environment if everybody knew the situation of how far science and medicine have come in the last 20-odd years since we watched that horrific advert and the tombstone telling everybody that HIV and AIDS is a killer.”
There is something bitterly ironic about the advert to which Thomas refers: the ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ campaign featuring the iconic voice of the late John Hurt.
People are only too aware of the dangers of HIV and AIDS. The problem is the ignorance of just how far medicine has progressed in treating the virus. It is for that reason the stigma surrounding HIV still exists, and why Thomas is so desperate to raise awareness.
“I was somebody who felt they were educated in this,” said Thomas, the 2005 Wales Grand Slam captain who announced he was living with HIV last September. “But the fact is, there has almost been this underground movement of science and medicine in the last 20 years, and it has not been publicised.
“When I found out about treatment and how effective it could be, and how non-invasive, that I just have to take one tablet a day, once I realised that I could live a normal, healthy, happy life, I kind of came to terms with it a lot easier.”
Thomas readily admits that he enjoys a privileged position when it comes to living with HIV, in part because he has educated those close to him about what it really means to be in his situation. The 45-year-old is also aware that others have a much harder time of it and that is why this means so much to him.
“It would be easy to be selfish and say I’ve come out the other end and my fight is over, but it’s not. My fight is over when everybody is able to come out the other end,” he said.
There are other results in the survey that stand out: more than 60 per cent of the people surveyed said they would or might end their relationship if they found out their partner was HIV positive. Particularly poignant for Thomas is the fact that more than a third of those who play contact sports say they would not play against an opponent living with HIV.
We are proud to be partnering with @gareththomas14 & @THTorguk to raise awareness on the issue of #HIVstigma through #tackleHIV
Even though we have a better understanding of #HIV & the treatment options, stigma is still prevalent in society.Find out about the new campaign here.
— ViiV Healthcare (@ViiVHC) June 24, 2020
For a man who was at one time all-time record appearance maker for Wales and the country’s all-time try-scorer, not to mention a Lions captain, that response came as a shock and it has left Thomas wanting to reach as many people as possible because he knows that many of those who perpetuate this stigma are not bad people.
He concluded: “For me, the goal is to get as many people aware of the fact there is a stigma around HIV, and if they are aware of it, they can do something about breaking it. I want this to reach as many people as possible.
“I’m not telling people what decision they should make or how they should live their lives, but they need to make an educated decision before they are prejudiced.
“If they have an educated understanding of HIV, and are still prejudiced, then they are not very nice people. But a lot of nice people are doing it because they don’t understand. I want as many people to be as educated about this as possible.”
Tackle HIV, a new campaign led by Gareth Thomas in partnership with ViiV Healthcare and the Terrence Higgins Trust, aims to tackle the stigma and misunderstanding around HIV. For more information visit www.tacklehiv.org and follow @tacklehiv
“June 4 marks the 25th anniversary of the last Wales team to play in the old amateur era, a 1995 defeat to Ireland at the World Cup”
– @OwainJTJones delves back in time and learns what became of these Welsh stars of the past???https://t.co/zk63dqymKt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 4, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments