This Sunday 1st December was World AIDS Day, a national day of awareness giving people worldwide the opportunity to unite in the fight against HIV. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust runs the largest HIV service in the country and has a long history of HIV treatment, support and research. CW+ is proud to support the incredible work spearheaded by our dedicated clinicians, nurses, and volunteers at both hospital sites as well as satellite sexual health clinics 56 Dean Street and 10 Hammersmith Broadway.
Our World AIDS Day celebrations kicked off on Friday 29th November, we held stalls at both hospital sites, raising awareness and talking to patients and staff about the incredible work our Trust is doing to combat social stigma. At Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, entertainment was provided by the Satin Dollz, a pin-up troupe getting staff, patients and visitors in the festive spirit with some holiday tunes.
We were also joined by The Worshipful The Mayor of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Councillor Will Pascall – who has recently chosen CW+ as his official charity of the year. The Mayor was taken on a tour of our HIV/AIDS services by some of our leading clinicians and volunteers including St. Stephens Centre, The Kobler Clinic, Ron Johnson Ward and our research laboratories at Chelsea and Westminster.
In the afternoon, we held a very special collection of screenings in the CW+ MediCinema at Chelsea and Westminster, hosted by HIV Service Lead Dr. Marta Boffito. This rich collection of films celebrated the fantastic work done by staff across our Trust. We also shone a light on the role that clinical staff played in the early years of the AIDS epidemic in both the UK and USA with a special screening of award-winning film 5B, about the world’s first ever AIDS ward at San Francisco General Hospital.
Marta then travelled to the prestigious Bloomberg London, where she represented our Trust by sitting on a panel alongside HIV activists and public health specialists. The panel discussed how we can tackle the social stigma associated with HIV and how HIV charities have been working with different communities to change public attitudes.
If that wasn’t enough, the incredible Marta then went one step further and took on a charity fun run, the World AIDS Day Red Run in Victoria Park, raising more than £600 for 56 Dean Street. We would like to say a huge thank you to all the 13 runners who took part in this years Red Run, raising an a total of £7,841 to help 56 Dean Street in their mission to end HIV transmission by 2030. Click here to watch a short film below to learn more about 56 Dean Street’s ‘Generation Zero’ project.
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