When Lyn Parent accompanied her sister to get a tattoo in 1992, she had no idea it would change the course of her life.
But after the 57-year-old from Auckland decided to get inked impulsively – in order to help to give her younger sister more confidence in getting her own tattoo – she later contracted HIV and was told she would only live for six more months.
More than 25 years later, Lyn is still here – and has a refreshing attitude towards death and life – in that she seizes every day as it comes.
Here, Lyn reveals what happened to her that day – and how she found out she was HIV positive.
Lyn Parent (pictured), 57, from Auckland got a tattoo in 1992 – and later contracted HIV from the experience
While originally she had just gone with her sister (both pictured) as moral support, Lyn told FEMAIL that she has no regrets around the experience
According to Lyn, her decision to get a butterfly tattoo on her bikini line wasn’t one she had weighed up hugely before that fateful day in July 1992:
‘The supermodels all had tattoos, they were super fashionable and I made a split-second decision that changed my life,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘I remember noticing that a guy before me had had a tattoo and the artist hadn’t changed the needles. But I didn’t think anything of it. We didn’t in those days, I wasn’t worried.
‘In fact, I told my sister I would go first as I was the eldest. He changed the needle after he inked me.’
Lyn (pictured) got inked on a whim – but didn’t think anything of it when the tattoo artist didn’t change the needles
However, just a few short months later, the 57-year-old was diagnosed with HIV and told she had six months to live (pictured with her daughter, Amira)
When the now 57-year-old returned to Corsica in France, where she working as a tour guide at the time, she didn’t give her new butterfly tattoo much thought.
That was until roughly eight weeks later when Lyn remembers developing major flu-like symptoms:
‘I had a yellow face, I couldn’t eat and I needed to sleep nearly all the time,’ she explained.
‘I knew I needed to go to the doctor, and when they told me my temperature was extremely high, I returned home where specialists ran lots of tests to see whether I had malaria.’
Ten days later, however, Lyn’s doctors still had no prognosis.
‘I was sleeping for 22 hours a day, so my mother said I had to go back to the hospital,’ she remembered.
‘The specialist said that they had to test me for everything under the sun – including HIV. She told me she’d be back with my results the next day.’
Despite everything, Lyn (pictured) has lived a healthy life – and 25 years later, she is very much healthy and grabs every day and opportunity as they come
‘When she told me I had HIV and that I had six months to live, so I needed to get my bucket list out, I heard nothing except the fact that I had six months left,’ Lyn remembered (pictured: her daughter, Amira)
That next day, in October 1992, sticks in Lyn’s mind all too clearly.
‘I remember her body language and knowing it was going to be bad,’ Lyn recalled.
‘When she told me I had HIV and that I had six months to live, so I needed to get my bucket list out, I heard nothing except the fact that I had six months left.
‘I was in shock. I had no idea why.’
Eventually, after doctors ran tests on the three ex boyfriends Lyn had had since she was 20, one of the 57-year-old’s specialists pinpointed that her HIV had come from the tattoo.
‘I remember being shocked,’ she said. ‘I had no idea that was possible.’
Lyn has now has two children, Francois (pictured with Lyn) and Amira, who are both totally healthy
Lyn later boarded a plane to see friends and family in Australia, with the intentions of saying goodbye.
It was around this point that she met her ex partner on an airplane and fell in love.
‘I wanted to live each day like it was my last,’ she explained. ‘We moved to Rotorua, enjoyed a stress-free life – and after a year when I was still here, I relaxed a little.’
Lyn has now has two children, Francois and Amira, who are both totally healthy.
Since she was diagnosed, the mother of two has worked tirelessly to educate people around HIV and AIDS – a subject many don’t know too much about.
‘I’ve started the fashion event StyleAid to raise money for women and children with HIV,’ she explained.
‘Anyone can get HIV and AIDS and it’s important that precautions are taken. I think the testing should be compulsory, like smear tests.’
Lyn has also set up LiveAid Australasia – which sees bands perform in Auckland, alongside a free testing place for all to use.
‘The stigma is really bad, but there are so many women with HIV,’ she said.
To this day, Lyn takes tablets to stay healthy and keep her HIV at bay.
‘I have no regrets, it is what it is,’ she said. ‘Plus, I think about the good things. Had I not been diagnosed, I wouldn’t have done all these things with my life. I share my story with schools and I have an opportunity to spread the word.
‘Had this not all happened, my life probably wouldn’t have gone this way. It’s taught me to grab life as it comes and live in the now rather than ten years down the track.
‘I don’t have a fear of death like I used to. I’ve made peace with myself and I think it’s made me even more positive as a person. It’s part of who I am.’
For more information about Lyn Parent’s events, please click here.