T-Cell Chronicles – Living with HIV and AIDS through creative writing

About Us

Brighton Open Door Project in the UK which sadly closed in 2008, helped facilitate a writing group six years ago with the 'loose aim' of seeing if writing could be a therapeutic tool. "People shared wonderful stories and experiences and there was also a huge amount of talent."

A further workshop yielded masses of written work, which the group felt had to be preserved in a meaningful way. Eventually the T-Cell Chronicles was collated; a book containing 46 works of prose and poetry. With help from a local charity, a thousand copies were published at the cost of just £2,000, which were all quickly snapped up.

We aim to reach out to as many community members as possible, worldwide. Work won’t be edited, but there are a few ground rules: no racist, sexist, defamatory or excessively pornographic material, although contributions can still be “pretty sexy”.

This site is divided into different sections, with plenty of space for work by all communities affected by HIV. Contributions can be posted anonymously and there is also a section for HIV negative people affected by the virus.

This site is different from other HIV arts projects: “We’ve got a responsibility to create a historical archive as well as being a creative outlet. We’re passionate about what’s happening now. People newly diagnosed need to know what it's like living now. And we want those that have been around since the beginning to write their stories about the people we’ve lost, and those who’ve survived.”
We are keen to keep it as raw and real as possible: fiction or non-fiction.

“It’s about humanising issues, and not losing the face of things."

This website is managed by volunteers who are living with or directly affected by HIV .

a member

Mercedes
“Sometimes it’s good to materialise feelings and emotions – getting these out is therapeutic. Also, the reader might not feel alone with their circumstances. Sharing
experience within the community will hopefully lead to change.”

Chris
“We hope people from Amsterdam to sub-Saharan Africa will contribute. Hopefully we will be able to cope with the massive interest. Writing has helped me to express myself, get things off my chest, to remember and not to forget.”

Cavin
“The name T-Cell Chronicles first made me feel a little paranoid, perhaps a bit medical, but in reading the articles they said the things I wanted to say in real, not medical, terms - so don’t be put off by the name.”

Judith
“When diagnosed in 1998, the world seemed lonely and confusing. Even as a health professional and mum of grown-up sons, I was totally innocent about what HIV would mean to my life. It has been enlightening and cathartic to be involved in the writing project. To share experiences and hopefully move on, sometimes away from the virus.”

Guy
"Attending the writing workshops, and the actual process of writing proved an emotional but positive experience for me. I would actively encourage others from around the world to share their stories too.”

Rob
“One of the worst feelings on first being diagnosed is the sense of isolation. I have passed copies of the T-Cell Chronicles to many newly-diagnosed guys and they have devoured it. They no longer feel so alone. There is no better first step to dealing with HIV than that.

“Every single story has some line that strikes a chord. No matter what their age, sex, sexual orientation, race or creed, sensing there is something in everyone’s story strengthens the feeling of friendship and mutual support. “By opening the book to the web it reaches everyone in all sorts of isolated places. It is too valuable a resource to be kept to gay-friendly places like London and Brighton. Writing is very therapeutic. It doesn’t even need to be read; the simple process of writing clarifies everything.”

Judith Brownsword 3rd June 1948- 2nd September 2005 died tragically of a road accident. She was a co founder of the Xpress yourself group based in Brighton who published the book T Cell Chronicles and website Tcellchronicles.org, and was a member of THT’s speaker’s bureau. A loving mother, friend and valued member of the community. Her courage, joy and compassion will be greatly missed by all who new her.

To read some of Judith's writing please click here