I Thouhgt Only People In Africa Got HIV Says HIV Positive British Mum

It was in 2004, just short after her 40th birthday, when she embarked on online dating, having split from her partner of 20 years and the father of her children the year before.
She began dating a man called Simon* and said the pair seemed to click and get on well.

Over the course of the summer, their relationship progressed physically.
But because of her age, she says she knew she wouldn't get pregnant - so didn't think about protection.
But she also hadn't given a second thought to HIV. 'I didn't know anything about it - I didn't know it was even possible to catch it,' she explained.


Within a few months, the relationship between Ms Dilley and Simon was over - and shortly afterwards she began to feel unwell.
'I had swollen glands, a sore throat, a temperature and couldn't eat properly,' she recalled.
It was like a really severe bout of the flu.'

After tests were inconclusive, it was suggested - to her surprise - she should take an HIV test.
'I thought "why?",' she explained
'I just didn't know anything about it - I just thought you got it in Africa. I didn't know a white person had ever got it.'
Her comments were described as 'extremely naive'.
She went on to explain that a week after taking the test, she received the devastating news that she was, indeed, HIV positive.
'I felt like I was walking into a black hole - and my first words were "am I going to die"?