In June, I received an email from Lauryn Kronick, who is the Education and Prevention Coordinator at AIDS Saskatoon. They asked if I wanted to take part in National HIV Testing Day, which is on June 27th.

My first thought was yes, of course. HIV rates in Saskatchewan are incredibly high compared to the rest of the country. Maybe if I tweeted about it and did something for the podcast, people might learn something, was my thinking.

But then I started to come up with reasons why I shouldn’t do the test. Many reasons. Reasons that, when I look back on it, I feel kind of embarrassed about. So, I called Lauryn and we talked. Actually, I talked a lot and she patiently listened. Lauryn is a good listener.

A few weeks after our conversation, I met Lauryn and a lovely registered nurse named Mel at Saskatoon Sexual Health on 2nd Avenue to receive an HIV test. You are about to hear that test as well as a conversation with Lauryn about some of the fears I had. We also discuss the importance of testing and why this means so much to Lauryn. 

This bonus episode leads into next week's brand new episode of YXE Underground. It features Julia Holliday-Scott, who is the Support Services Coordinator for AIDS Saskatoon. In the episode, we discuss Saskatchewan's first Safe Consumption Site, the stigma surrounding HIV, and why she wanted to be involved in the creation of the Safe Consumption Site. 

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I learned so much doing this HIV test. I hope you do too.

Thanks for supporting a local, independent podcast! 

Cheers...Eric 

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis