World AIDS Day is marked globally on 1 December. In 2025 the theme is No one left behind.
This is a day for Australians to pause and:
It’s also an opportunity to tackle inequities in HIV prevention, testing, treatment and quality of life, both in Australia and internationally.
Wearing a red ribbon on World AIDS Day is one way people show their support.
HIV is a significant part of our history and continues to be part of our community’s experience. We are mindful of bleeding disorders community members in Australia who live with HIV, acquired through their treatment products in the early 1980s, before blood supply testing and HIV viral inactivation for manufactured blood products were introduced. We remember those who lost their lives to HIV and those who grieve for them.
No-one left behind calls us to action as a community every day, not just on the first of December each year.
How can we respond to the challenges experienced by our community members?
People with bleeding disorders who live with HIV face the challenge of living with a socially stigmatised chronic health condition, and with an experience that is unusual in the local HIV community – HIV acquired medically from treatment products, many heterosexual, and sometimes multiple members of the same family affected by HIV. They are often very private and may not tell many others about their HIV for fear of discrimination.
Community members grieving for loved ones who lost their life to HIV may wonder if their experiences and enduring pain are recognised. Those whose child with HIV was their only connection to the bleeding disorders community may be unsure if they still belong.
What kind of supportive environments can we create that enable:
Some Foundations shared the strategies they follow in their general peer activities to support community members who may be affected by HIV.
At HFQ, we recognise how important it is to both appreciate how far we have come in terms of safe and effective treatments, whilst never forgetting the trauma and tragedy experienced by many in our community in the past.
We host monthly Men’s Support Lunches where the men have a safe space to share their common lived experiences and provide support to one another.
We also installed a Memorial Plaque in 2024 to honour the members of our community who we have lost so they have somewhere peaceful and private to go and reflect and honour the memory of these members.
The Remembrance Service at the Australian Bleeding Disorders Conference is a special time to remember friends and family and the people we have cared for in the community who have passed away. HIV is a big part of that experience.
HFV is committed to respecting people’s privacy about HIV. Our men’s annual retreat is an example of a closed, safe space where men can connect and choose to open up about their journey.
‘Great to spend quality time with other guys dealing with similar issues. It can help to feel less alone. It helps to hear how others are managing and overcoming challenges,’ – HFV member
HFV isn’t an organisation exclusive to individuals with a bleeding disorder; we support families as a whole, and we recognise that their grief and loss may continue over time.
We are very aware that we are fortunate in Australia to have first-rate treatment and care for bleeding disorders provided at no cost to the patient. But World AIDS Day is also a reminder that many people with bleeding disorders in other countries do not have the same access to high quality HIV treatment and prevention. To find out more about global initiatives, visit the UNAIDS website – www.unaids.org.
Visit www.worldaidsday.org.au for more information about World AIDS Day in Australia.
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