In Memoriam: Icon and HIV/AIDS Activist Elizabeth Taylor
Posted by
John Sheeran
Washington, D.C.
March 24, 2011
Elizabeth Taylor
The Foundation was greatly saddened yesterday upon learning of the passing of Hollywood icon and HIV/AIDS activist Elizabeth Taylor at the age of 79.
In the early 1980s, she was the first international celebrity to leverage her fame
to call attention to the AIDS epidemic, which went on to claim countless lives around the world. She made it her personal mission to support and care for those suffering in silence and shame.
She helped to start the
American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) after the AIDS-related death of Rock Hudson, her friend and fellow actor. She also started her own charity, the
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
Even in failing health during her later years, Taylor remained a vocal and passionate advocate for the elimination of HIV/AIDS, galvanizing public opinion and campaigning for the respect and dignity of all people.
We honor her courage and her many accomplishments, and we remain committed to doing our part to brighten the lives of children, mothers, and families worldwide affected by HIV/AIDS.