As long as there’s a reason, there’s a ride.
Is HIV/AIDS still an issue?
YES! The challenges facing HIV + people are numerous and complex, and while treatment options have improved, unfortunately there is still no cure.
Many people living with HIV experience immense stigma and discrimination and challenges with accessing affordable medication, housing and food. Consequently, they face social isolation, substance use challenges, barriers to settling in Canada, and much more.
HIV stigma is so powerful that most people living with HIV won’t go to other agencies for fear of being stigmatized and discriminated against for being HIV+. This makes HIV organizations like PWA, Trellis and ACCM so critical to providing support to people living with HIV.
"My name is Aminat Alli-Agboola, I am a mother of four, and I am from Lagos, Nigeria. I have been living with HIV since 2004.”
“Some of the programs I use at PWA are the Circle of Care Women’s Group, the Essentials Market Food Bank, and the Therapeutic Care Services.”
“Life without PWA would have been meaningless, it's because of PWA that I can now stand tall and firm.”
“The Bike Rally provides for programs and services that nourish the mind, body, and spirit; the whole self. I will always encourage people living with HIV/AIDS to come to PWA because it does change lives.”
“My name is Stuart, and in 2016, I tested positive for HIV just after my first year of university.”
“In the early days of my diagnosis, PWA brought me a sense of stability and comfort during a time of uncertainty and anxiety… My involvement with the organization has given me the confidence to be more open about my status, and take pride in being a member of such a supportive and resilient community.”
“People living with HIV deserve to feel supported, to feel heard, and to have access to those who will advocate for them when they feel unrepresented - the Bike Rally helps to facilitate that.”
How can we support people living with HIV?
With proper treatment and support, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. We know now that U=U – if someone’s HIV viral load is undetectable and they’re on regular HIV treatment, they can’t pass HIV on sexually.
But in order to achieve undetectability, people living with HIV depend daily on expensive medications, safe and affordable housing, accessible medical care, a livable income and a caring community. But for many, these necessary foundations aren’t in place and so they turn to HIV organizations for help.
By participating in the Bike Rally you ensure support is there for people living with HIV. Your donations directly support PWA, Trellis and ACCM, and you build a community that actively destroys HIV stigma!
Bike Rally Origins
The Friends For Life Bike Rally began in 1999 as an idea between David Linton and Danny Nashman, who were looking for a way to address a funding crisis at PWA.
In that first year, twenty-four cyclists and a few friends in a support van raised $45,000 for the foundation. Over time, the Bike Rally has become the sustaining fundraiser for PWA, with thousands of riders and crew having raised over $18 million dollars over the last two decades.
Over two decades later, the Bike Rally has expanded into two new cities - Kingston and Montréal - and partnered with two new ASOs - Trellis and ACCM - thereby extending the Bike Rally’s reach and help.
