Canada-wide HIV testing

Kelowna is participating in the first National HIV Testing Day in Canada on Wednesday, June 27.

Several agencies in Kelowna are involved including the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, Living Positive Resource Centre, and Outreach Urban Health.

Testing will be available at:

Living Positive Resource Centre – 255 Lawrence Ave. – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society – 442 Leon Ave. – 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Outreach Urban Health – 455 Leon Ave. – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Testing takes only 60 seconds, and involves one drop of blood.

“The goal of the day is to effectively target groups disproportionately affected by the disease,” Virginie Fostroy, Aboriginal Outreach Worker of Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society said.

“Know Your Status” is the theme of the event.

“The only way to know for certain if you’re HIV-positive is to get tested,” Gary LeCasse, Executive Director of the Canadian AIDS Society said.  “The sooner you know, the sooner you can control the virus and prevent damage to your immune system.”

It is expected more than 1,500 people will participate in the initiative.

About 75,000 people in Canada have HIV, and one in five HIV-positive Canadians are not aware of their status, which makes the possibility of transmitting the virus to others much more likely.