For over 25 years, Naomi Sloyan was a quiet powerhouse, orchestrating the intricate world behind one of Britain’s most iconic TV shows, Coronation Street. Dedicated, resilient, and always in control, she exuded competence and poise. But in 2018, the life she had so carefully built was thrown into turmoil by a diagnosis she never anticipated: Naomi was living with HIV.

This revelation wasn’t the beginning of her story—it was a devastating turning point in a journey that began four years earlier, in 2014. During a brief relationship, the virus silently entered her life, lying dormant as she carried on with her routine. For years, there were no warning signs, no indication that her health was in jeopardy. But then, things began to fall apart.

Naomi’s body betrayed her in ways she couldn’t understand. Weight fell away rapidly. Fatigue became her constant companion. Then came pneumonia—a two-week hospital stay that drained her of the little strength she had left. Still, doctors couldn’t pinpoint the cause. HIV wasn’t even on their radar. For Naomi, it was a period of isolation and fear when answers seemed maddeningly out of reach.

Finally, a consultant, guided by instinct, ordered the test that changed everything. The result? Positive. Naomi had HIV.

The news landed with crushing force. Naomi found herself grappling with disbelief. HIV? Wasn’t that something that happened to other people? But as the initial shock began to subside, she uncovered a truth that would transform her: this was not the end. It was the start of a new chapter.

Within weeks of starting treatment, Naomi’s body began to heal. The weight she had lost returned. Her energy came back, and with it, a sense of purpose. Naomi didn’t just reclaim her life—she decided to reshape it.

At first, Naomi stayed silent about her diagnosis, wrestling privately with the stigma that surrounds HIV. But in March 2020, everything changed when she attended Nathaniel J Hall’s play “The First Time”, a raw and unflinching portrayal of life with HIV. The performance moved her so profoundly that, in a moment of clarity, she decided to go public. She announced her status on Facebook and Twitter, writing from the heart: “I have no reason to feel ashamed. My life will be easier if I’m honest, and maybe my story can help someone else.”

From that moment on, Naomi never looked back.

Her courage ignited a passion for advocacy. She became a bold, unapologetic voice, urging others to take control of their health through regular testing. Naomi spoke out about the transformative power of treatment, educating the world on the U=U message: that undetectable equals untransmittable. With proper care, HIV isn’t just manageable—it’s a condition that cannot be passed on.

In December 2022, Naomi brought her story to an even larger audience when she appeared on ITV’s Pridecast with Darren Knight. Sharing her truth was an act of profound vulnerability and triumph. In telling her story, she reclaimed her narrative and offered hope to countless others.

Now, Naomi pours her energy into her work with George House Trust as an Ageing Well Groupwork and Training Officer. She helps others living with HIV embrace their lives with strength and dignity, proving that a diagnosis isn’t the end of the road—it’s a chance to grow, thrive, and inspire.

Naomi Sloyan’s message is unflinching: get tested, know your status, and don’t let fear dictate your life. HIV is part of her story, but it does not define her. With courage, honesty, and treatment, Naomi has turned her journey into a beacon of hope, shattering stigma and reminding us all that life can be vibrant, unapologetic, and full of possibility.