Phellipe Lutterbeck When Phellipe returned home to his native country Brazil in 2019, he went to have a full health screening test, and what was included in the health screening test was a test for HIV. When his results came back a short time later, Phellipe was informed he was living with HIV and was asymptomatic. However, his CD4 count was dropping too low, and he commenced on medication straight away.
When he returned to Ireland, he waited a few months to be seen at the hospital here, where he was given the same medication he was receiving back in Brazil.
Phellipe states that U=U has changed my perspective on life!
16 months ago, my life was taking a different direction, and at first, I didn’t know what it would look like.
Living with HIV has taught me so much during this time. I’ve learned about others, but I have also learned much more about myself. I learned how to be stronger, how to accept being vulnerable, how to cry and let things go and how to see who are the people who mattered to me most. I also have learned a love for a different way!
Understanding HIV in the way that I do now, I see it as what it is, a human immunodeficiency, which means that I have to do with consistency what we all should be doing, take care of ourselves taking care of our health.
Phellipe lives and works in Dublin and is active in his community sharing The U=U message.