The HIV Podcast

This week Sarah Jess talk about a new scientific discovery in the HIV work and what discoveries like this could mean for the future of HIV treatment, cure research, and why every new breakthrough helps us understand the virus just a little bit better. Science is science-ing… and honestly, it’s pretty exciting! 

Sources

- Queen Mary University of London

U=U Quilt – Positive East

Mark - PLHIV Documentary

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

African Voices lands in Kenya this month, where the rollout of lenacapavir is turning heads and starting big conversations.The HIV prevention injection being dubbed a potential game-changer has arrived… but what does that actually look like on the ground? We’re talking hope, access, reality, and why Kenya is right at the centre of this next chapter in HIV prevention.

Sources

Kenya - Wikipedia

HIV/AIDS in Kenya - Wikipedia

Hardest hit being left behind as Kenya rolls out ‘breakthrough’ HIV prevention jab, charity says | The Independent

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Jess has a much-needed catch up with Oliver Brown, and a lot has happened since we last spoke.

Oliver has since been medically discharged from the Royal Navy, and we’re talking about what that’s been like in reality. We also reflect on the huge changes he helped drive within the armed forces, what’s shifted since, and how he’s navigating what comes next!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sarah and Jess manage to connect Huggy Bear to HIV… stick with us. In this episode, we explore the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Glaser, an activist, mother, and pioneer who helped transform the global response to HIV in children. From personal heartbreak to driving real global change, this is the story of how one woman refused to stay silent.

Sources

Elizabeth Glaser - Wikipedia

Starsky & Hutch - Wikipedia

Elizabeth’s Story - Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

A Timeline of HIV and AIDS | HIV.gov

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sarah and Jess head to South Africa for the next episode in our year-long African Voices series. While headlines often focus on funding cuts and system pressures, this episode centres the power of peer support through the Coach Mpilo model, a community-led approach helping men access testing, start treatment, and stay in care. It’s a story of trust, connection, and what happens when support comes from people who truly understand the journey.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in Coach Mpilo who helped us put this episode together!

Sources

South Africa - Wikipedia

HIV/AIDS in South Africa - Wikipedia

African Voices is a year-long series from The HIV Podcast, sharing perspectives from across the African continent.

How to get involved:

We’re inviting people living with or affected by HIV to share short voice notes about what’s happening in their country, what the world needs to understand, and what education they want to share. These voice notes may be played on the podcast as part of the series.

Episodes will be released monthly, on the last Friday of each month

Voice notes may be played on the podcast

Send a voice note (max 5 minutes, no minimum) to: 07727 666791

Each country has a submission deadline, see image for details

If you’re from one of the 12 countries featured, we’d love to hear from you.

How to take part

Please send us a voice note (maximum 5 minutes, no minimum) to:

07727 666791

In your recording, please include:

• Your name (or a preferred name if you would like to remain anonymous)

• Your connection to HIV (for example: person living with HIV, peer educator, counsellor, activist, doctor, community worker, volunteer)

• The country you are in

Then tell us:

What do you want the world to know about HIV in your country?

This could include access to care, stigma, funding cuts, community realities, or anything you feel the world should understand.

What education would you like to share?

A myth to bust, a message for others, or knowledge that could help support your community.

For more information, please contact:

[email protected]

Deadlines for submissions by country 2026

April 17th - Kenya

May 22nd - Uganda

June 19th - Mozambique

July 24th - Malawi

August 21st - Zambia

September 18th - Zimbabwe

October 23rd - Botswana

November 20th - Lesotho & Eswatini

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sarah and Jess glide into the story of John Curry, serving Olympic gold, high drama, and world-class artistry! But behind the perfect routines was a life shaped by being openly gay in a very different era, and later, living with HIV. So get your skates on and tune in!

Sources

John Curry - Wikipedia

BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1976: John Curry skates to Olympic gold

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Sarah and Jess remember Michael Sundin, dancer, performer, and familiar face from Blue Peter! Behind the bright TV appearances was a talented creative whose life was tragically cut short. We take a look at his career and we what happened post-Blue Peter.

Sources

Blue Peter - Wikipedia

Michael Sundin - Wikipedia

(3) https://instagram.com/p/B0QfpIMpN1Q/ 🇬🇧... - The AIDS Memorial | Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of our year-long African Voices series, we turn our attention to Tanzania. While global conversations about HIV often centre funding pressures and programme sustainability, this episode focuses on the realities experienced by people and communities living with HIV and a fantastic project breaking down barriers to HIV testing.

Navigating ART Interruptions: Navigating ART Interruptions - The HIV Podcast | Acast

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/global-hiv-tb/php/success-stories/hiv-results-in-tanzania.html

On the Brink of Catastrophe: U.S. Foreign Aid Disruption to HIV Services in Tanzania and Uganda - PHR

United Republic of Tanzania | UNAIDS

Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49) - Tanzania | Data

Release of Tanzania Population-based HIV Impact Assessment Data Shows Notable Progress, and Identifies Gaps that Stand in the Way of Epidemic Control - PHIA Project

https://hivpreventioncoalition.unaids.org/en/resources/tanzania-national-guidelines-management-hiv-and-aids-7th-edition

https://sustainability.unaids.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Tanzania_SMR_A-.pdf

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5602645/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_in_Tanzania

African Voices is a year-long series from The HIV Podcast, sharing perspectives from across the African continent.

How to get involved:

We’re inviting people living with or affected by HIV to share short voice notes about what’s happening in their country, what the world needs to understand, and what education they want to share. These voice notes may be played on the podcast as part of the series.

Episodes will be released monthly, on the last Friday of each month

Voice notes may be played on the podcast

Send a voice note (max 5 minutes, no minimum) to: 07727 666791

Each country has a submission deadline, see image for details

If you’re from one of the 12 countries featured, we’d love to hear from you.

How to take part

Please send us a voice note (maximum 5 minutes, no minimum) to:

07727 666791

In your recording, please include:

• Your name (or a preferred name if you would like to remain anonymous)

• Your connection to HIV (for example: person living with HIV, peer educator, counsellor, activist, doctor, community worker, volunteer)

• The country you are in

Then tell us:

What do you want the world to know about HIV in your country?

This could include access to care, stigma, funding cuts, community realities, or anything you feel the world should understand.

What education would you like to share?

A myth to bust, a message for others, or knowledge that could help support your community.

For more information, please contact:

[email protected]

Deadlines for submissions by country 2026

March 19th - South Africa

April 17th - Kenya

May 22nd - Uganda

June 19th - Mozambique

July 24th - Malawi

August 21st - Zambia

September 18th - Zimbabwe

October 23rd - Botswana

November 20th - Lesotho & Eswatini

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, Clarice.

The link you never thought possible…This week Sarah and Jess look at how The Silence of the Lambs influenced director Jonathan Demme's next creative choice and how that creative shift connects, unexpectedly, to HIV storytelling.

Sources

The Silence Of The Lambs Controversy Explained

Philadelphia: un-packaging the Hollywood Aids drama | Sight and Sound

The Silence of the Lambs (film) - Wikipedia

Philadelphia (film) - Wikipedia

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.