Welcome to Spring to Life!
We are thrilled to introduce Spring to Life, our spring appeal campaign!
The past few months have been particularly difficult for many Canadians, we are encouraged with the current vaccination rates across Canada, this truly gives us hope. We cannot wait to see everyone again soon, until the time is right, we invite you to join us virtually in continuing our efforts to eradicate the HIV epidemic in Canada by 2025.
HIV Self-Testing Kits: We Need Your Support
Since the approval of HIV self-testing kits in Canada last November, this form of HIV testing is now available to all Canadians as of February 2021. We could not have reached this incredible milestone without your help, and especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the approval of HIV self-testing could not wait a moment longer. But there is still work to be done.
Levels of HIV testing have plummeted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic which almost certainly confirms the number of undiagnosed Canadians living with HIV has risen. Decreased access to healthcare services coupled with the stigma involved with getting tested are overwhelming factors contributing to lack of HIV testing.
Our next step is to get these confidential, easy-to-use HIV self-testing kits into the hands of at-risk Canadians — knowing your status (and by extension, receiving proper treatment and care) is the most effective way to stop the spread of HIV.
This epidemic can be eliminated in Canada by 2025; we have the tools and we are ready, but we cannot do it without you. We need the help of our CANFAR family to get HIV self-testing kits into the hands of those who need them most.
How You Can Help End the HIV Epidemic by 2025
Our fiscal year ends in June, and we know we can count on your generous support to help us reach our goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2025. Your donations help us promote and support the new self-testing kits, increase access to prevention and care and continue to fight stigma and raise awareness with at-risk youth through our national awareness programming.
Join the Conversation
Over the next few weeks, we are excited to welcome guests and speakers to partake in our virtual Spring to Life campaign, featuring individuals who have truly made a difference in our fight to eradicate the HIV epidemic, including CANFAR National Spokesperson Valerie Pringle, CANFAR National Ambassador Myles Sexton, CANFAR Board Member Dr. Notisha Massaquoi and more. You will hear enlightening conversations with advocates, changemakers and scientists to discuss the importance of the progress we’ve made and the changes we need to see next.
Thank you for supporting CANFAR and lending a hand to help us end the HIV epidemic in Canada!
Bernadette Morra & Myles Sexton
We’re thrilled to introduce the first virtual chat as part of our Spring to Life campaign between the incredible Myles Sexton & Bernadette Morra! We’re excited to kick start our Spring to Life campaign with two cherished members of our CANFAR family. Tune into the conversation between Myles Sexton, National CANFAR Ambassador, Fashion Nomad, and HIV & Sobriety Advocate, and Bernadette Morra, Editor-in-Chief of FASHION Magazine.
You’ll hear how HIV impacted the Canadian fashion industry and learn the best ways to be an ally towards the HIV and LGBTQ2S+ communities. Tune into the conversation now!
Trevor Stratton & Martin Morberg
June 21, 2021 is National Indigenous Peoples Day and it comes at a time of immense grief marked by a national tragedy. We are honoured to have two of our National Ambassadors, Trevor Stratton and Martin Morberg, share their conversation with us on the best ways to move towards reconciliation and how the Canadian government and Indigenous communities can work together in collectively diminishing the spread of HIV.
In this conversation, you’ll hear insight on how colonization has affected HIV positivity rates in Indigenous communities, the amazing work these communities are doing to support their members, and why we must learn to practice in the concept of “Two-Eyed Seeing”.
Martin Morberg is a 2 Spirit, Northern Tutchone & Tlingit Indigenous HIV activist, belonging to the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun. Trevor Stratton is an Indigenous HIV activist, member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and a Coordinator for the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS.
Dr. Mona Loutfy, Breklyn Bertozzi & Muluba Habanyama
We’re excited to have Dr. Mona Loutfy and Breklyn Bertozzi sit down for a chat with our very own CANFAR ambassador, Muluba Habanyama, for our Spring to Life campaign! Tune into the conversation to hear Dr. Loutfy, Breklyn and Muluba address research surrounding women & HIV, how the gaps in this research can be addressed and what you can do to be an ally.
Dr. Mona Loutfy, MD, FRCPC, MPH, Professor, Infectious Diseases Specialist & Clinical Researcher, Breklyn Bertozzi, Peer Community-Based Research Consultant & HIV Activist, and Muluba Habanyama, Communications Specialist & Health Advocate, are all recognized advocates among Canada’s HIV research community. We are so thankful to hear their first-hand experiences and perspectives on how we can continue reducing stigma and tackle the complex issues faced by women living with HIV in Canada.
Rev. Jeff Rock & Dr. Notisha Massaquoi
We are so pleased to welcome two of our cherished CANFAR Board Members to our Spring to Life campaign, Rev. Jeff Rock and Dr. Notisha Massaquoi!
As we’ve just come out of Pride Month, it’s more important than ever to keep the momentum going in elevating LGBTQ2S+ voices. Tune into this conversation with Jeff & Notisha as they address how HIV disproportionately affects certain communities and how this is intrinsically linked to human rights.
Thank you Jeff & Notisha for this remarkable conversation!
Dr. Bohdan Nosyk & Valerie Pringle
We are excited to present the last instalment of our Spring to Life campaign with an enlightening interview between Dr. Bohdan Nosyk and Valerie Pringle!
Tune into the conversation to see how the policies that affect the most vulnerable in our society are shaped using economic modelling. Dr. Bohdan Nosyk, Associate Professor and HIV Researcher, sits down with our CANFAR National Spokesperson, Valerie Pringle, to shed light on the importance of policy making decisions surrounding HIV.
In this conversation, you’ll find out how enacting specific and purposeful policies can begin reducing the stigma surrounding HIV testing.
