'I was diagnosed with HIV back in 2014. Upon receiving my diagnosis, I thought I was going to die.

My knowledge of living with HIV was minimal, and I had no idea that I could live a long and healthy life, just like everyone else.

The support I received through Terrence Higgins Trust’s peer mentoring and therapy helped me to find my voice and to begin opening up to others about my HIV status.

The charity’s ‘Undetectable = Untransmittable' (U=U) campaign in 2016 gave me a further confidence boost: I learned that because I was on effective medication, my viral load was undetectable and I couldn’t pass the virus on. With this knowledge, I felt better prepared to share my HIV story. In 2016, to give something back, I ran the London Marathon for Terrence Higgins Trust and I have been involved with the charity and their vital work ever since.

I’m now proud to be a Positive Voices speaker for Terrence Higgins Trust. Through the Positive Voices programme, I received training so that I can share my personal HIV story and general information about the virus. I give regular talks to large groups in schools, universities, workplaces, prisons and other organisations. I have now also become a Peer Mentor myself and I work in the NHS, helping others to come to terms with their HIV diagnosis and connecting them with useful resources.

Next year, I will be running the London Marathon again for Terrence Higgins Trust. I’m looking forward to raising money for the charity that has helped me so much over the years, and continues to do such important work around HIV awareness, educating others, smashing stigma, and ending new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030.'

You can support Cahir’s London Marathon fundraising at Terrence Higgins Trust: RUN Cahir RU