I remember clearly the time I first learned of EGPAF and its mission to eliminate pediatric AIDS. While my family was living abroad in France in 2004 and 2005, I read an article about AIDS Walk Africa (AWA) in Marie Claire magazine. I wasn't someone who had ever been impacted directly by HIV, and I really didn't understand how badly it was ravaging the lives of mothers and children in Africa.

After learning about AIDS as part of a class project, the eighth graders of Tenakill Middle School in Closter, New Jersey, were moved to make a difference. On June 7, 2011, 60 students hosted the first “Field of Hope" AIDS Walk to support organizations fighting HIV/AIDS, including EGPAF.

After providing nearly 30 years of service as family/public health physicians working both with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) on the Navajo and Northern Plains reservations, most couples would have contemplated a restful retirement. Then again, most couples aren't Edie and Tom Welty.

The compassionate couple decided to “retire” by combating the AIDS epidemic abroad and fulfilling their dream of working in international health in the process. Since retiring in 1997, Tom and Edie have been working with the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB), a healthcare organization that serves as EGPAF's sole in-country partner for implementing PMTCT and other HIV/AIDS-related services. The husband-and-wife team assists by writing grants, purchasing essential supplies and equipment, supporting research carried out by the CBCHB, and helping the team in Cameroon get healthcare programs up and running. 

Beth Jarvie, mother of two and dedicated EGPAF supporter, enjoys running for a cause. However, until a few years ago, she had never even been in a race. It wasn’t until one of her friends convinced her to compete in a half-marathon raising funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that she discovered her love for the sport. Today, Beth is a dedicated runner who competes in races all along the East Coast.

Combining her two passions, Beth participated in the Unite Half Marathon on April 18, 2010 at Rutgers University in support of EGPAF. Beth established the “Our Moment” team, and raised more than $2,000 for EGPAF.

In 1989, greeting card company owner Suzy Becker was driven to take part in the national HIV and AIDS effort. “Fueled by a sense of injustice,” Suzy and her coworkers organized Ride For AIDS Resources (Ride FAR), the first HIV/AIDS bike-a-thon in the United States. Suzy and her team of 13 cyclists made a five-day, 100-miles-a-day ride through New England to raise awareness, compassion, and funding for children and adults living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. More than two decades later, Ride FAR is the longest continuously-running HIV/AIDS bike-a-thon in the nation, and as of 2009, the biennial event has raised more than $1,100,000 to support HIV/AIDS service organizations, including EGPAF. 

Courtney Sheinmel, 32, a lifelong EGPAF friend and supporter, is passionate about the fight against pediatric AIDS. She also has another passion: writing.

Courtney had always written stories as a child, but became more enthusiastic about writing while she was practicing law. Now a full-time author, Courtney recently published her second "tween" novel, Positively, which depicts the story of a teenage girl, Emmy, who loses her mother to AIDS and learns to grow up living with HIV. A portion of the proceeds from Positively benefits EGPAF’s programs.

May 1, 2009 marked Cecilia Valdez’s 31st anniversary as a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and she couldn’t be more proud. Cecilia’s career has taken her from Mountain Bell operator to Qwest cable splicer to her current position as a network technician. 

Tom and Laurie Antonellis are among EGPAF's strongest supporters. They are seasoned veterans of AIDS Walk Africa and have raised tens of thousands of dollars for EGPAF through that event.

However, the Antonellis husband-and-wife team is always looking to do more. On December 9, 2008, they arranged to make EGPAF a beneficiary of “5% Day” at their local Whole Foods Market in Wayland, Massachusetts. Thanks to Tom and Laurie’s efforts, the Wayland Whole Foods donated 5 percent of their net sales from that day — about $2,700 — to EGPAF’s lifesaving programs. 

As a young girl, Sally Palmbaum spent her summers at all-girls Camp Fernwood in Poland, Maine. There she met fellow camper Betsy Meyer. Though not close friends at camp, Sally reconnected with Betsy, who later became Elizabeth Glaser, at a camp reunion.