Dear Friend,
Pamela W. Barnes |
This year’s
World AIDS Day theme is leadership, and strong leadership has never been more essential in the fight against pediatric AIDS. World AIDS Day (December 1) was first observed 20 years ago in 1988, and the Foundation will commemorate its own 20th anniversary in the coming year. We’ve made tremendous progress in those two decades, but far too many children are still dying of this disease. After 20 years of laying the groundwork, it’s time to lead the way toward a generation free of HIV.
We
know how to prevent babies from contracting HIV from their mothers. We
have the drugs to treat children already infected with HIV, allowing them to grow healthy and strong. But millions of children and families lack access to these lifesaving services. Worldwide, only about a third of pregnant women with HIV receive the treatment they need to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. And unthinkably, 270,000 children died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2007.
But we can’t lose sight of all that we’ve accomplished.
Florence Ngobeni, a
Foundation Ambassador who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, is living proof of how leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS can turn tragedy into triumph. In 1996, Florence learned that she and her infant daughter, Nomthunzi, were HIV-positive. In South Africa, there was no treatment available at that time for babies with HIV. Tragically, Nomthunzi died when she was five months old.
Instead of giving up, Florence became a leader. She began teaching others in her community about HIV/AIDS, and spoke out about the lack of services available for people living with HIV. She became a friend of the Foundation and worked with us to raise awareness of pediatric HIV/AIDS issues in her country. And with the help of Foundation-
Florence and Alex |
supported prevention of mother-to-child transmission services, two years ago Florence was able to give birth to a healthy, HIV-negative son named Alex.
Florence shares a lot in common with another brave mother —
Elizabeth Glaser — who stood up and became a leader after losing her daughter to AIDS. Elizabeth created the Pediatric AIDS Foundation nearly 20 years ago, when she realized that children suffering from HIV/AIDS were being ignored. Elizabeth eventually lost her own battle with AIDS, but thanks to her leadership, the Foundation is now helping millions of women, children, and families living with HIV/AIDS around the world.
Elizabeth, Florence, and legions of others like them have devoted their lives to defeating pediatric AIDS. I challenge you to join them.
Please make a donation to support the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and help lead the way toward a generation free of HIV.
Sincerely,
Pamela W. Barnes
President and Chief Executive Officer
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