Why does World AIDS Day matter to mothers? Read our guest blogger Annie Lennox's post and join the conversation

[ElenMumsnetBloggers]

Do you think Annie Lennox's message rings true? What can we do to stop HIV and AIDS spreading and raise awareness? Do bloggers have a special part to play? Join the conversation started by Annie, and share your views.

Excellent post - I was planning to blog about world aids day today, as I'm reading the Politics of Breastfeeding and there's a large section on pregnant and nursing women suffering from HIV/AIDS. It's a hugely important global topic, but one that gets a little lost in the west, where people seem to think that the battle against HIV/AIDS has been "won".

My thoughts on why World Aids Day matters to me

Huge thanks to Annie Lennox for her campaigning and for highlighting this important issue today. I was diagnosed with HIV in 1992 when I was pregnant and was devastated because HIV in those days was a death sentence. But here I am 19 years on, still alive and well, thanks to life-saving medication. Women in the UK with HIV can now have babies over 99% HIV-free, even with normal vaginal delivery, but the stigma is still huge in the UK. And in Africa and elsewhere, there is a huge need for funds for medication and training. See www.shetoshe.org and www.change.org/petitions/global-fund-g8-commitments for more info. Over half the people in the world with HIV are now women. HIV is closely related to domestic violence too. This is a huge problem and we all need to think about how we can keep ourselves and our children HIV-free.

Hi all,

Thanks for your inspiring responses and your inspiring post, lowimpactmama. Just to clarify, non-bloggers can definitely post on this thread too! It's relevant to all of us.