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These stories are written by women living with HIV. Their stories of life, love and hope with HIV have a powerful message: You are not alone.
And this is especially true for women newly diagnosed, and also for their families and friends to understand what a HIV diagnosis means in this new era of Undetectable equals Untransmittable (U=U).
But their stories are also for everyone too, and challenge the myths and stereotypes that feed HIV stigma.
Posted on 4th of October 2023
(first published MindFood online magazine 27/09/2023 as told by Elli Jacobs) Heather Ellis shares her story. Heather Ellis has been living with HIV for nearly 30 years. She became a mum to three sons while living with the virus and…
Read MorePosted on 27th of September 2023
‘I was told not to plan for old age’: The long-term survivors who beat the HIV odds. This feature is kindly re-produced from the Good Weekend Magazine published by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald on 23 September 2023. Stories…
Read MorePosted on 12th of September 2023
This member story by Emily Parsons, PWV peer support worker and PWV member was part of Viral Stories – an evening of public storytelling by people living with HIV held on Saturday, 29 July 2023 at Federation Square, Melbourne. Emily…
Read MorePosted on 2nd of August 2023
HIV and its long-term impact on the gut Published in HIV Australia by Health Equity Matters (July 2023) By Heather Ellis, Positive Women Victoria With the gut the largest part of our immune system, HIV hits this area the hardest…
Read MorePosted on 15th of February 2023
By Susan Paxton, PhD I sat in the dentist’s chair waiting. In came a man dressed in what looked like a white space suit, a Perspex screen wrapping around his face from his forehead to below his chin. Tears…
Read MorePosted on 15th of June 2022
Women living with HIV from around Australia share their thoughts on “What living well means to them”: “Living well means to me, being accepted as I am. For not what I’ve got, but for me as a person.” Each year,…
Read MorePosted on 14th of June 2022
Stephanie Raper, PWV Chair and a long-term survivor who was born with HIV and diagnosed at age two shares her story with Living Positive Victoria to mark HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day on 5 June. Stephanie has been a part…
Read MorePosted on 26th of May 2022
Chrissie is a woman living with HIV who is inspiring African Australians to fight stigma by Timothy Krulic (this story was published in the Autumn 2022 edition of PosLink, the newsletter of Living Positive Victoria and is kindly re-published with…
Read MorePosted on 29th of June 2021
PWV member and board director Emma, shares her story of single motherhood via IVF. I’m sharing my journey to motherhood, because it is important to know that in the healthcare system, sometimes, we have to fight for what we want….
Read MorePosted on 3rd of February 2021
Rosanna has been living with HIV for 25 years. In this story, she shares how a rare illness called PML, contracted by her husband who was living with HIV but not taking antiviral treatment, changed her life. Rosanna was motivated…
Read MorePosted on 6th of January 2021
A story on motherhood, written by PWV member, Brittney*. It’s the late 1990s. I’m ten years old, in the car with Mum. But this isn’t an ordinary trip. She’s driving fast – faster than usual. She’s uttering four-letter words under…
Read MorePosted on 8th of December 2020
PWV member, Jane Palomountain, shares her story. I’ll focus on five topics in telling my story: U=U; dating and relationships; responses to me as a person living with HIV; motherhood; and ageing. Some have more significance for me than others….
Read MorePosted on 12th of November 2020
HIV activist Susan Paxton, PhD, reflects on the year. Back in 1999, I was looking death in the face. I didn’t think I would see my son finish primary school, let alone be around for over 20 more years. I…
Read MorePosted on 12th of November 2018
Written by a PWV volunteer, Tracy. My name is Tracy. I am a Ugandan by origin and my mother is an HIV doctor in Uganda. I suppose my story is mainly about my family. I was raised by my aunties…
Read MorePosted on 17th of January 2017
Honouring Prudence Nobantu Mabele 1971–2017, the South African activist who fiercely advocated for the rights of women and children living with HIV. Dr Susan Paxton remembers her dear friend of over 20 years and shares with us the unrepeatable miracle…
Read MorePositive Women Victoria (PWV) is the only community-based organisation specifically funded to support women living with HIV in Australia.
(03) 9863 8747
info@positivewomen.org.au
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Southbank VIC 3006