12 Edmontonians honoured for HIV advocacy work

Twelve Edmontonians were awarded King Charles III Coronation Medals for their work for the HIV/AIDS movement in Canada. The ceremony took place at city hall on June 26, 2025. (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton)

Twelve Edmontonians received a King Charles III Coronation Medal honouring their work and contributions to the HIV/AIDS movement in Canada.

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Honourees received the medals, which were handed out by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General in recognition of King Charles III’s coronation, at city hall on Thursday morning. All the local nominees were selected to receive the prestigious award, which is meant to celebrate the recipients and inspire others in the community.

“Our medalists today have done work to support HIV/AIDS sector, all the way from doing things like education, advocacy, letting their story be known, (and) putting a face and a name to HIV and AIDS,” Catherine Broomfield, HIV Edmonton’s executive director, told CTV News Edmonton before the ceremony.

Broomfield said the stigma around HIV and AIDS is “crippling” and that many people live in fear after a diagnosis.

“They’re fearful for their family or their networks to know that they are living with HIV,” she explained, adding that many are unaware that HIV is not transmissible if they are undergoing treatment.

“People need to know that living with HIV is not a death sentence anymore.”

She added that treatment has advanced over the past 40 years, giving the example that a combination of a single pill a day and injectables can treat the virus.

Medal recipient Dave McCoy was honoured for his work as an advocate -- including helping those with HIV have equal access to employment – and for distributing free HIV rapid test kits to pharmacies.

He says having access to anonymous test kits is important.

“The biggest point to get across is ‘U equals U’ so undetectable is untransmissible,” McCoy said ahead of his medal presentation.

“It’s been medically proven now and reducing stigmas as a result.”

Broomfield highlighted the same message about testing.

“You can get tested and go on with your life, and be a powerful contributor to our city and our country,” she said.

More information about HIV Edmonton and the support offered can be found on their website.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Darcy Seaton