Gareth Thomas tackles Snowdonia 10 Peak Challenge
By Paul Eddison
Wales rugby legend Gareth Thomas has dug into the deepest recesses of his soul on a rugby pitch so a little wind and rain is not going to put him off an epic challenge for Tackle HIV.
The former British & Irish Lions skipper will join a team that also features Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell for the Snowdonia 10 Peak Challenge, which sees the team take on a mountain journey climbing many of the highest mountains in Wales and crossing the most remote mountain range in Wales and England – the Carneddau.
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The route is 25km in all, with 1200 metres of ascent and descent. And while bright sunshine is not expected, Thomas is ready to brave the elements for a cause he holds dear to his heart – Tackle HIV, which looks to tackle misunderstanding of HIV as well as tackling the stigma around it.
He said: 'It's going to be a bit wet and windy but sometimes when things go against you, everyone comes together a little bit more. A bit of rain and a bit of wind will help us.
'I feel as a campaign, what we have always done and what has been a big part of my life and my career is learning in different ways.
'We've done a lot around verbal education and feeding people the facts and statistics and numbers. Sometimes in certain campaigns that becomes the only relevance, getting people to understand the facts.
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'But because I feel HIV is such a lifestyle thing, we have to get people to realise, not just tell them that people who live with HIV are not restricted physically and mentally of their capabilities.
'Sometimes when you stand up and are the example of what you are saying, people take notice even more. So to do a physical challenge backs up everything we have been verbally saying for the last five years that this campaign has been going.'
While the team might have to deal with difficult weather conditions, Thomas believes that the natural beauty of Snowdonia will help increase awareness of the challenge and create greater interest.
He added: 'Potentially, we will walk past people on the side of the mountain. It's an amazing thing, it's a really friendly place. If anyone wants to find a sense of comfort, they should go to the side of a mountain. People we walk past, people we have conversations with may never have heard about this campaign and because we are on the side of a mountain, they become inquisitive.'
Tackle HIV is a campaign led by Gareth Thomas in partnership with ViiV Healthcare, with Terrence Higgins Trust as the charity partner, which aims to tackle the stigma and misunderstanding around HIV. For more information visit tacklehiv.org and follow @tacklehiv
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