A HETEROSEXUAL woman living with HIV wants people in the same boat to speak out.
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Karen Williams, of Lavington, has created a Facebook page where others diagnosed with the immune disease can share their thoughts, feelings and words of support.
Speaking on World AIDS Day yesterday, Ms Williams, 51, said it was time for her to be brave.
“Heterosexual people need support, they need a place to go,” Ms Williams said.
“There are support groups in Melbourne and Sydney, but nothing for heterosexual people here on the Border.”
Ms Williams contracted HIV through sex about 14 years ago.
She said along with a diagnosis, she had suffered depression.
“I sometimes find it hard to leave the house,” she said.
“People in Albury-Wodonga and the region need a safe place to come together and talk, so they don’t feel isolated.”
For now, that place would be Facebook, she said.
Ms Williams said many friends had deserted her after she was diagnosed.
“I was 37 then and 14 years on, I still struggle daily with my diagnosis, like it was yesterday,” she said.
Now she is determined to break down the stigma of HIV and AIDS and raise awareness.
“It’s a chronic illness but not a death sentence, due to the improvement of medication,” she said.
“If you get on top of it with medication, it will never turn into AIDS.
“I am on medication to keep me well.”
Ms Williams encouraged people to be tested.
“It does not matter how anyone contracts this disease, the scary fact is HIV is out in the community,” she said.
“There are so many more STIs and many people are not aware they have them.
“We need to get the word out there that it can and, unfortunately, may happen to you unless we all have regular check-ups.”
Her goal is to organise a monthly support group at a Border clinic for those with the disease and also carers of those with HIV/AIDS.
The facebook page is HIV Support, Friendship and Information for ALL.