Jeremy, an osteopath at the Royal Free Hospital, is preparing to take part in the annual Red Run fundraising event for the second time this year to raise awareness and funds for HIV and AIDS.
The event is especially meaningful for him, as he has firsthand experiences of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Growing up in New York in the 1980s, he witnessed the devastation of HIV as it ravaged communities and stigmatised the LGBTQ+ population.
“I’m a gay man myself, and I grew up in New York in the ‘80s,” Jeremy recalls. “It was a difficult time. HIV and AIDS exploded overnight, and suddenly, the gay community was in the midst of a public health crisis. People were losing their lives, and the stigma surrounding HIV was immense. It wasn’t like today, where being openly gay is more accepted. Back then, many kept their sexuality hidden.”
Jeremy saw the devastating effects of HIV, both within his own community and his family. His mother, and her circle of friends, lost several of them to the disease.