If you want to find out more information about HIV

you can contact Body Positive Cheshire & North

Wales by e-mail, post, telephone or by visiting the

website…

Bridgewater House230 Edleston RoadCrewe CW2 7EH(01270) 653150

health@bpcnw.co.uk

www.bpcnw.co.ukIf you would like an HIV test please contact your local

sexual health centre to book an appointment with

friendly staff in a safe and confidential environment. If

you do not want to test alone contact us and ask about

our clinic companion service.

Chester (0300) 323 1300

Macclesfield (01625) 66 33 99

Northwich Infirmary (01270) 61 22 55

Warrington (Select Option 1) (01925) 64 42 02

Halton (01928) 75 31 01

Bangor (01248) 38 53 85

Glan Clwyd (01745) 53 44 55

Wrexham (01978) 72 71 97

W O R L D A I D S D AY

Testing is quick and easy. A teaspoon of blood is taken

and some testing sites offer oral swabs with no blood

involved. Your results can take between 24 hours and 2

weeks to come back. Records are not shared with

your GP and are kept confidential to the testing

site. This means if you have a HIV test or find out that

you are HIV Positive, your GP will not know without

your permission.

G E T T I N G T E S T E D

W H E R E TO T E S T

Volunteer

Help promote information on safer-sex and support

people living with or affected by HIV. You can register

with Body Positive Cheshire & North Wales and

volunteer in an area that is of interest to you. Help

out on World AIDS Day or other health related

events. Enhance your CV and employment

opportunities and put back into the community by

filling in a form or sending off for one today. For a

volunteering registration form please e-mail

Sally@bpcnw.co.uk or visit www.bpcnw.co.uk.

Donate

Help support the continuation of Body Positive

Cheshire & North Wales by donating towards the

cause or think about leaving a small legacy to enable

us to continue the vital work needed to support

people living with HIV and the fight against its spread.

C O N TAC T U S

Disclaimer: The information in this leaflet is not a substitute for medical advice from a health professional.

World AIDS Day started in 1988 to raise

awareness about the growing HIV pandemic.

The world shows solidarity in the fight against

HIV and support for people living with HIV by

wearing a red ribbon on World AIDS Day; the

1st of December every year.

Raising awareness about HIV is still very

important as more and more people in the UK

are becoming infected. A lot of people do not

know they can be infected. It is often thought

that HIV is just something that affects gay men

or people who live in Africa. This is not true.

HIV can affect anyone.

HIV is treatable and it is rare for people living

in the West to die from an HIV-related illness.

Unfortunately there is not yet a vaccine or cure

but scientists are working hard to make

vaccines and cures a reality for the future.

Some of the Body Positive Cheshire & North Wales Team showing their solidarity for World AIDS Day

C O M M O N Q U E S T I O N S A B O U T H I V

The Red Ribbon was the first ever ribbon used for a cause in this way. The Red Ribbon is a symbol of unity and solidarity towards the global fight against the spread of HIV and to support people living with or

affected by HIV. Ribbons then started being used for other causes and charities.

WHAT IS HIV?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that slowly destroys your body’s ability to cope with illnesses. Your immune system protects you from coughs and colds. It protects you from bugs in food and stops your wounds from getting infected. Without your immune system you would become very ill. Not having a good immune system is life threatening. If you have HIV you are HIV positive (HIV+).

CAN HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE GET PREGNANT?

It is now possible for HIV+ parents to give birth to HIV negative (HIV-) children; children without HIV. By reducing the risk of the baby coming into contact with blood carrying HIV and making sure the mother is on the best medication, HIV can be prevented from being passed from mother to baby. HIV can be passed to the child through breast feeding but your options should be discussed with you consultant.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I HAVE HIV?

HIV often does not have symptoms. HIV is often found in people’s blood when they have already become very ill. This is because they have not been tested for HIV early enough and their body’s immune system has become very weak; it cannot fight infections very well anymore. A small number of people who get HIV have symptoms such as cold or flu, diarrhoea or upset stomach, high temperature or generally feeling unwell six weeks to six months after infection. This is very rare and those people who do get symptoms often mistake them for an every day illness like the common cold. Any symptoms early on tend to pass and so people think they have gotten over their infection but HIV is still destroying the immune system, unseen.

WHAT IS AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is not an infection. AIDS is a point in time when your immune system is so damaged that it stops working properly and you become ill. Progress in the treatment of HIV means that moving on to AIDS is rare.

CAN HIV BE STOPPED?

Although there is no cure or vaccine if you are exposed to HIV, through needle injury or unprotected sex, you have 72 hours to go to your sexual health clinic or accident and emergency unit. Ask for PEP (Post Exposure) and state that this is a medical emergency. A month’s course of strong HIV drugs can reduce your chances of becoming infected. This will not be given if you are outside of the 72 hours since exposure.