Although Britain’s first AIDS case had been reported in The Lancet in 1981, it was the death of Terry Higgins in 1982  that brought the disease fully into public view. He was just 37. His friends used his death as a platform for further action and soon after set up Terrence Higgins Trust. Over the past 40+ years, a dedicated team established it as a centre of excellence and the main driving force for both treatment and support, and a spearhead for change.  The THT was a bright shining beacon of light in the darkest of periods, and there are very few gay men, who, during their history, have not been indebted to them in some way or another.

The history of AIDS has always struggled to ensure that there is a clear distinction between facts and fiction.  Even now we are still dealing with another major misunderstanding.  Even though an HIV diagnosis is no longer an automatic death sentence thanks to protease inhibitors and other major medical advances, AIDS IS STILL NOT OVER.  So neither is the work  of THT 

Currently, they are committed to END NEW HIV CASES BY 2030: support people living with HIV to live well,  and eradicate HIV-related stigma.

All this need funding, and that’s where we all come in. Now you can easily make a donation on your computer without even getting off the couch. BUT we want to suggest that maybe you could be persuaded to be more adventurous in the way you offer THT much-needed support. Like JUMPING FROM AN AIRPLANE 

Not just any plane (!) but THT organises TANDEM SKY DIVES where you jump from some 10000 feet  attached to a (cute) instructor. You will reach speeds of up to 120mph, and enjoy an unforgettable adrenaline rush as you freefall through the skies before safely gliding back to earth.  Every pound  (and dollar) you raise will help them provide life-changing services, including HIV support, counselling, peer support programmes, HIV testing, and our specialist sexual health information service.