In October 1982, Jonathan Blake was handed what he believed was a death sentence. Diagnosed with HIV, doctors told the then 33-year-old he had just three months to live. More than four decades later, the 76-year-old campaigner is sharing his remarkable story of survival, reflecting on a life lived in the shadow of a virus that decimated his community.
Surviving the early days of the epidemic
Jonathan was one of the very first people in Britain to receive an HIV diagnosis. The prognosis was bleak, with no treatment available. "I was told I had a virus and there was no cure," he recalls. "It was a death sentence." Two months after his diagnosis, overwhelmed, he attempted to take his own life. "But I couldn't do it," he said. "So I realised I've got to get on and live."
As the 1980s progressed, scores of his friends died. The UK had recorded 108 cases of AIDS and 46 deaths by the end of 1984, with thousands more dying in the US. Jonathan describes his generation of peers as being "decimated" by the disease, comparing the experience to being a soldier in the trenches of World War I.
Alongside the medical crisis, a wave of homophobia and stigma swept the nation. He points to infamous headlines like The Sun's 1985 "I'd shoot my son if he had Aids, says vicar" and the government's fear-inducing 1987 "Don't die of ignorance" campaign. "The press weaponised it," Jonathan states. "It was a virus that could affect everybody, but the press kept banging on that this was a gay virus."
A life of activism and a medical revolution
Despite the prognosis, Jonathan built a full life. He met his lifelong partner, Nigel Young, and moved into a unique LGBT housing co-operative in Brixton, which provided a crucial support system for over 40 years. The pair became leading figures in the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners group in the 1980s, an effort later immortalised in the 2014 film Pride, where Jonathan was portrayed by Dominic West.
Medically, he teetered on the brink of AIDS until 1996 when his health finally gave in. Fortunately, treatment had advanced significantly by then. He began taking pills twice daily, experiencing a surge of energy followed by terrible side effects. The "real game-changer" came in 1997 with the introduction of viral load testing. Today, Jonathan manages his condition with just one pill a day and maintains an undetectable viral load, a medical outcome he once could never have imagined.
A forgotten epidemic and a warning for today
On World AIDS Day 2025, Jonathan's primary concern is complacency. After years of decline, HIV diagnosis rates are rising again. There were 3,169 new cases in 2023, dipping slightly to 3,043 in 2024. This rise is notably driven by heterosexual men and women, with increases of 36% and 30% respectively from 2022 to 2023. Among ethnic minority heterosexuals, cases rose by 45% in the same period.
"HIV is this forgotten epidemic," Jonathan warns. "People think nothing happened since the Spanish flu and Covid coming along... There's a complacency because I think young gay people aren't thinking about it, don't know the history." He acknowledges that while shows like It's A Sin sparked brief interest, awareness has faded. "There still is no cure," he emphasises. "They're working on amazing ways but there is still no vaccine."
His advice to those newly diagnosed is rooted in his 43 years of experience: "Do not get angry with your diagnosis. Just go with it. Listen to your consultants because they will help you." Jonathan Blake's journey from a three-month prognosis to a 43-year testament of resilience stands as a powerful reminder that the fight against HIV, and the stigma that surrounds it, is far from over.
