David Kirwan told BuzzFeed News he was diagnosed with HIV so late that doctors didn’t expect him to live.
This is David Kirwan, the Green party candidate for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire.
David Kirwan
He is the first election candidate to go public about an AIDS diagnosis, and only the third to reveal he is HIV positive. The first and second were Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett and Paul Childs of the Liberal Democrats, who recently disclosed their status in separate interviews with BuzzFeed News.
Kirwan, 47, told BuzzFeed News he was speaking out in an attempt to end the "secrecy and stigma" surrounding the condition.
"I was becoming so tired I could hardly walk to the end of the street," he said. "My throat was raw, I had all these ulcers that wouldn't go away. I kept going back to the GP and eventually he said, 'We've tried everything else, can we test for HIV?' I said, 'Fine.' It never occurred to me it might be positive."
Kirwan had been in a relationship with his partner, Gary Kirwan, since 1987. But a week after the test he was back in the waiting room at the GP's surgery.
"I saw the doctor talking to a member of the reception staff. He said, 'Have you got that positive HIV result?' It was obvious it was me."
David Kirwan (right) with Natalie Bennett (centre right), the Green party leader.
David Kirwan / Facebook