Meet Grace

Story of a changed life

It was an unusually grey October’s afternoon in Kenya when we had the pleasure of first meeting Grace. The rainy season had started to tiptoe in, meanwhile a miracle was occurring in one of the local hospitals. A child was being born. Into a world where 34 million people are currently living with HIV, Grace’s mother is one such person among this overwhelming figure. Not a statistic, but a real, breathing, talking person.

The danger that faced Grace, and what her mother feared most, was the risk of the HIV virus passing from mother to child. 50% of children born with HIV do not make it beyond their 2nd birthday.

Chasing Zero ensured that Grace’s mother gave birth to her child at the local hospital whilst receiving HIV treatment and care at the critical time. The result? Grace was born HIV-free.

Hidden among a bundle of blankets was the most beautiful baby girl, Grace. The smiles in the room from her mother, father and siblings were enough to know this child really is extraordinary. The birth had gone well, and a few weeks later we received confirmation that Grace was born HIV-free!

This is just one child among so many. A staggering 230,000 children were born with HIV in 2011 alone. What’s even more staggering is that it cost Chasing Zero just £12 to provide access to the treatment that ensured Grace was born HIV-free.

Together, we can see many more families celebrate the gift of their children being born healthy with an HIV-free start to life. We are Chasing Zero AIDS-related deaths.