November 26th is fast approaching! We are very excited to share with you everything this full day of workshops, conferences, and festivities has in store to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Maison Plein Cœur, all set in the vibrant and sumptuous surroundings of St. George’s Church.
Without further ado, here are more details about the program for this day, which promises to be memorable.
The curtain rises on the day with a forum theatre play! In partnership with La Collective Théâtre de L’opprimé, our group of participants will take the stage once again with an interactive performance. Centered on the theme of HIV-related stigma, the audience will be invited to intervene in the action of short scenes presented to them.
This will set the stage for the main conference of the day. Pilar Ramirez Garcia, professor of nursing, will present “Eliminating HIV Stigma in Health Services”, a talk addressing the persistence of irrational fears and judgments that some health service staff may still hold today. Her message will offer solutions to transform these perceptions so that every person living with HIV receives inclusive and quality care.
Next, Patrice St-Amour, research officer, accompanied by Mathieu Tremblay-Lalande, participant in the Chemstory project, will present the workshop “Confidences from the Chemstory Podcast.” Through listening to podcast excerpts, testimonials, and discussion, the workshop will offer a human and nuanced perspective on experiences related to chemsex and HIV. The Chemstory podcast, a project from the Qollab laboratory, is available on podcast platforms and at chemstory.ca.
We will then have the honor of welcoming Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy, who will present the workshop “Breaking the Routine: HIV Treatments for Tomorrow.” He will share his expertise on new HIV treatments evolving in two directions: the rapidly developing use of long-acting medications and the promising field of immunotherapy.
Gabrielle Adams, a student in sexology, will then speak to present the workshop “Homelessness and HIV,” a literature review on the effects of stigma on access to social services for people living with HIV and experiencing homelessness. She will propose action points for community organizations to focus their efforts on reducing the extent of this issue.
Through the workshop “Community Partnership, a Story to Share,” Alex Filiatrault, community advisor at ViiV, invites us to rediscover the power of human connection at the heart of the fight against HIV. Drawing on stories of collaboration and engagement, he will show how alliances between communities and partners can transform individual journeys into a collective movement of hope and lasting change.
The symposium will conclude with discussions, including with our peer helpers, on the topics covered during the day. At the core of our mission, our peer helpers themselves live with HIV and play a significant role in various aspects of the organization’s management.
Everyone is then warmly invited to a colorful cocktail! To mark the 35th anniversary of Maison Plein Cœur, we promise you an unforgettable birthday gift! Throughout the evening, live music, performances, tributes, and other surprises await you and are sure to make you feel the excitement!