Sophie Jayawardene

This abstract provides a condensed summary of the interview conducted with Sophie Jayawardene by Gareth Watkins, recorded on April 17, 2014, in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, which lasted for 45 minutes.

The interview begins with Sophie Jayawardene narrating their personal journey after arriving in New Zealand from Zimbabwe in 1988. During a six-months pregnancy with twins, they were diagnosed HIV positive in 1989, a discovery that marked the start of a challenging period in their life. The interviewee describes being the first individual in New Zealand to be diagnosed with HIV, leading to a difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy in Australia due to the lack of treatment options and significant stigma at the time.

The narrative captures the fear and isolation experienced by Jayawardene, not only from society but also from medical professionals who were reluctant to offer care due to the virus. Despite the adversities faced, including a misdiagnosis of liver cancer, the subject recounts their continued fight for survival, their determination to lead a normal life, and the transformation from living in secrecy to being open about their HIV status.

The journey also touches upon the impact of the diagnosis on their children and the eventual decision to share the truth with them after many years of secrecy. Jayawardene also expresses disappointment over the lack of follow-up and support from the medical community over a 14-year span.

The interview highlights Jayawardene's resilience, as they utilized writing and constructive activities like exercise to cope with their emotions and improve their quality of life. They recollect the process of writing a journal intended for their children, which later transformed into a book project that faced initial rejection from local publishers due to the subject matter. Despite these setbacks, Jayawardene successfully self-published their book in the United States, titled "Sophie’s World: Journey of the Lost Soul."

As the conversation progresses, the narrative shifts to detail Jayawardene's endeavors to normalize discussions about HIV, engage in activism to fight stigma, and promote education about the virus and safe lifestyle choices. Their experiences reflect both internal challenges, such as grappling with stigma and self-isolation, and external challenges, including societal prejudice and the lack of systemic support.

Jayawardene passionately advocates for more active community engagement and openness about HIV in New Zealand, critiquing the current approach and calling for substantial changes in attitudes towards those living with HIV. They underscore the importance of emotional support and social contact for the well-being of individuals with HIV, suggesting that greater societal acceptance and destigmatization can aid in better management of the virus.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Sophie Jayawardene

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