Free HIV screening

As June is HIV Awareness Month, the Ministry of Health, Seniors and Environment would like to remind the public that on Friday June 27^th, the Hamilton Health Centre will be observing HIV Testing Day and offering free, confidential, rapid HIV screening from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The public is encouraged to get tested on this day and to discuss the importance of HIV testing with their friends, family members, colleagues and health care providers. 

Additionally, there will be a public forum on Tuesday June 24^th from 5:30pm until 7:30pm at the Bermuda Society of Arts in City Hall. International guest speaker at the forum, Ms Marvelyn Brown, is the author of The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and HIV-Positive - the surprisingly hopeful story of how an “everyday girl” contracted HIV from her “Prince Charming” and how she manages to stay upbeat, inspired, and more positive about life than ever before. The Naked Truth is both an inspirational memoir and a cautionary tale that every parent, guidance counselor, and young adult should read. Interviews with Ms Brown are available upon request. Her website is:  www.marvelynbrown.com. Additional panelists include some of Bermuda’s leading professionals in HIV/AIDS patient care and a representative from STAR.

Then on Thursday June 26^th members of the public are invited to take part in ‘Not Just Another Book Club’ at the Bermuda National Library from 6pm to 8pm where there will be a discussion of the book The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and HIV-Positive followed by question and answer period with Ms Brown.