The annual AIDS Candlelight Memorial will be held on Sunday 19th of May at the WA AIDS Memorial in Robertson Park.
Head down to the park on the corner of Fitzgerald Street and Stuart Street on Sunday evening, the event will get underway at 5:30pm.
The memorial event is an opportunity to pay our respects for those we have lost to HIV/AIDS since the start of the epidemic, and to reflect on all the advancements that have been made in testing, treating, and prevention by those who have spent their life supporting those in the community.
The presentation will features guest speakers and a performance from the Sidenote Choir.
Charlie Manley, who is a peer worker at WAAC, spoke about the importance of the event.
“It’s so important because of what happened back then, and what people lived though and experience, it’s so important we don’t forget that, and how far we’ve come. It’s about remembering all the people who paved the way.”
“It’s an opportunity to come together and remember all the people who have lost their lives, their families members, and all the people who fought for their rights and got us to the point where we are now.”
Manley explained his role as a WAAC peer worker.
“A peer worker is basically someone who has lived experience, and we use that lived experience to help people.
“People who’ve been newly diagnosed, but also people with mental health challenges, homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction. It is such a broad range of people work with, they’re from all different ages, nationalities and backgrounds.
Manley said he found working with people who have recently being recently diagnosed with HIV a rewarding experience.
“It’s very much saying ‘I’ve been there, I know how you’re feeling. I’ve gotten though this and come out the other side, and you can too'”
“It’s incredible to see how people react to you, just by you being yourself, you’re able to help people.” Manley said of the work he does.
Reflecting on his own experience nearly a decade ago of learning that he was HIV positive Manley recalls that he went through a turbulent time. Something he hopes he can help other people avoid.
More than four decades after education programs about HIV began Manley said there was still an inconsistent level of knowledge about the virus across the wider community, and a lack of effective sex education can also play a part.
“The world has changed so much since I was in high school, but I sometimes wonder if there was more education in school would I have ended up having the experiences I had?”
“You’re not taught about homosexual relationships, its all very heterosexual, and going out into the world as a young gay person you’re not aware of the different risks. Which I think is such a shame.”
“I know there has been an improvement but I’d still like to see more.” Manley said.
He notes that much more promotion of the U=U message is needed.
Undetectable = Untransmissible is a campaign explaining how the sexual transmission of HIV can be stopped.
When a person is living with HIV and is on effective treatment, it lowers the level of HIV (the viral load) in the blood. When the levels are extremely low (below 200 copies/ml of blood measured) it is referred to as an undetectable viral load. This is also medically known as virally suppressed. At this stage, HIV cannot be passed on sexually.
Manley shared that after spending time with older members of the community via his work at WAAC he’s come to appreciate the advances achieved over the last few decades.
“It’s makes me very grateful that I was born in a time when we do have medication and things like that.
“I’m grateful that I can be around them and learn from them, hear their experiences because it’s very powerful stuff.” he said.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
Register to attend for catering purposes.
