Rugby star Gareth Thomas praises nurse for help coping with HIV
Posted 05 June 2024 - 15:15
Gareth Thomas tells RCN congress that support from sexual health nurse enabled him to overcome stigma and urges nurses to use their platform to help others
Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has praised the nurse who helped rebuild his life following his HIV diagnosis, calling him an extension of his family.
Speaking at RCN congress 2024 in Newport, an emotional Mr Thomas paid tribute to a sexual health nurse who helped him navigate his journey as HIV positive and break his own self-stigma.
‘There are certain nurses I’ve seen throughout my lifetime that feel like an extension of my family,’ he said. ‘There is a nurse called Stuart who works at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary in the sexual health department. He was the first person I got to speak to. When I first met him, I would describe myself as a messed-up jigsaw.
‘And he helped me find the corners first and he helped me fit the pieces together, to be able to live my life and be able to have the strength to allow my family in, to allow my friends in and eventually allow the public in. So for me, I want to say to Stuart a huge, huge thank you.’
With nurses’ support rugby star could come to terms with diagnosis
Speaking to a packed audience of hundreds of RCN members, Mr Thomas discussed his journey of coming to terms with his sexuality, the effects on his wife and family, and learning to be his ‘authentic self’.
In December 2009 Mr Thomas publicly came out as gay, becoming the first openly gay rugby union professional player. He retired from rugby in 2011.
Later Mr Thomas went on to explain his diagnosis with HIV and how government adverts from the 1980s that dominated TV had made him believe he would die alone away from his family.
But he explained that with the support of nurses he was able to come to terms with his diagnosis and see that he could live a happy and full life.
Listening to ‘amazing nurses’ made him realise his misconceptions about HIV
‘I started talking to these amazing nurses, I started to listen to them, I started to realise that HIV wasn’t what I thought it was,’ he added.
Mr Thomas told how around that time he began to be blackmailed by a person who went to the media with his diagnosis, leading to a tabloid journalist going to his parents’ home and telling them the news. He became emotional as he talked about taking ‘the leap of faith’ and going public with his diagnosis on the eve of competing in Iron Man Wales in September 2019.
‘It was then that I realised I had to take control of my own narrative and my own life.’
Mr Thomas now advocates for people living with HIV with the Tackle HIV campaign alongside Prince Harry, which aims to debunk myths and stigma around the virus.
Calls for nurses to tackle stigma around HIV at home, in social settings and in the health service
He urged nurses to use their platform and their knowledge to tackle stigma around HIV at home, in social settings and in the health service.
‘Stigma is not just down the pub, it’s in society and that also includes people who work in the NHS. I’m lucky and blessed that I have an amazing group of nurses to work with, but through Tackle HIV we hear a lot of stories from people who have had negative experiences.
‘If you’re part of a discussion that you feel is adding to the stigma or to the wrong information – I feel that to stand up and have the ability to use your knowledge to correct people can make sure the stigma doesn’t continue.’
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