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A woman with HIV, who inspired the plot of a romance novel, says “stigma is rife” about the virus.<\/p>\n
Freya, whose name has been changed to protect her, found out she had HIV in 2006 and said at first it felt like a “death sentence”. <\/p>\n
But this has changed over the years and now she wants to urge people to get tested, as she believes “early diagnosis is key”.<\/p>\n
Freya has shared her story after her friend of 20 years, Ascot-based author Nicola May, released her latest book How Do I Tell You?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The book follows the life of 35-year-old Victoria Sharpe, who “gets devastating news that shatters everything she ever wanted for her future”.<\/p>\n
Freya says it took her a while to feel ready for the story to come out, as it includes elements of her journey after diagnosis and the stigma she says she experienced.<\/p>\n
Remembering when she was tested for the virus, she said: “I thought it best to get fully checked as I was entering into a new relationship and wanted to make sure I was perfectly healthy.<\/p>\n
“I was so petrified, even the nurses and the doctors, they handled me with thick gloves. I felt originally it was a death sentence.”<\/p>\n
Freya was monitored without having to go on medication and says when she told her friend Ms May, they both cried together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Berkshire-based Ms May says her book is based on a completely fictitious character and there is an emphasis on getting tested early. <\/p>\n
She explains: “I’m a storyteller by heart, this is a big issue to deal with and I intertwine the romance and story to make it light, but for people to be aware of HIV.<\/p>\n
“Originally I was going to call the book Hello I’m Victoria, to have HIV down the front of the page, but my publisher thought that might put people off.”<\/p>\n
Freya says the stigma around the virus, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is still “rife”.<\/p>\n
After finding out she had HIV, Freya says talking to her previous and new partners was the “hardest thing”, explaining her “self-esteem became non-existent”.<\/p>\n
“I felt very dirty, it only takes one time to get HIV but people will automatically assume you are promiscuous. I had to have some awkward conversations,” she says.<\/p>\n
Talking about the book, Freya says: “It is not my life story but we have lived this journey together as close friends over 20 years and it is a subject that needs to be talked about, the stigma around it is rife, I am anonymous today for that reason.”<\/p>\n
It has been almost 10 years since her diagnosis and Freya says she has come to terms with it and is happy with her partner.<\/p>\n
She says: “Many years ago, a nurse said to me: ‘One day, you will wake up and HIV won’t be the first thing you think of’.<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t imagine that day would ever come but he was absolutely right, it did.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n