A man who contracted HIV after only once failing to use a condom during sex has revealed how he fought back from the “bombshell” diagnosis. Kyle Cook, 26, was just 20 years old when he learned that he had the virus but after initially being "blindsided" by the news, he has grown the confidence to be a voice for not only those living with HIV but for the LGBTQ+ community.
The former University of Leeds student now takes one tablet a day to treat the virus. He works at Skyline in Leeds, which offers support services for people living with HIV and their partners, families and carers, and is determined to educate others that HIV and the treatment that comes along with it is no different to those with IBS and epilepsy.
The hospitality worker, who grew up in Thornton, Merseyside, told the Liverpool Echo : “My diagnosis is a really good lesson in getting tested because I never used to because I was always safe. I hadn’t used a condom just once. It was pure luck that I just happened to go with my friend because who knows how long I would have gone without knowing about it. So it is really important to get tested regularly.
