After living with HIV for 31 years Kenn Basham will finally have a permanent place that he can visit to remember and pay tribute to countless friends who have lost their lives to AIDS.
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Located at the National Arboretum Canberra, the 500 square metre AIDS Garden of Reflection is part of a series of seven connected gardens near the visitors centre.
Mr Basham believes the Garden of Reflection serves as a physical reminder that HIV and AIDS still affect the community.
"Everyone has to realise they are affected, it is a community thing. HIV is always going to be with us, but it is up to us to live the best life we can with it, whether it's infected, or affected," he said.
When Mr Basham was diagnosed with HIV in 1986, the then 27-year-old became actively involved in raising awareness and educating the community about HIV and AIDS. For him, it was a coping mechanism. At that time, there was a two-year life expectancy between diagnosis and death.
Mr Basham's activism helped contribute to reducing the stigma of the disease in Australia.
"We wanted access to appropriate and effective treatments, which we've now got. We wanted equal treatment in hospital, which we've got. We wanted our same sex partners recognised for legal benefits like wills and next of kin, which we've got."
Mr Basham said it was important to remind the community that anyone could be exposed to HIV, and that it was still a cause for concern.
An estimated 25,313 people are currently living with HIV in Australia. Between 2006-15 there were 127 cases of people in the ACT diagnosed with HIV.
"It is just crazy," Mr Basham said.
Moving on from his activism days, Mr Basham now volunteers at the National Arboretum, where the new AIDS Garden of Reflection opens on Sunday.
The art of bonsai is one of his passions, and as a distraction from his ill health he volunteers at the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection.
He said the introduction of the new garden served as a physical reminder for people with the disease.
"Having somewhere we can point to and say to people, 'You can go there for this person, for remembering or thinking or crying or whatever you need to do'."
The AIDS Action Council raised $170,000 to build the garden. Executive director Philippa Moss said the organisation was trying to raise further funds to include a piece of art in it at a later stage.
The AIDS Garden of Reflection is one of four gardens opening at the Arboretum as part of the Gallery of Gardens.
