As World AIDS Day is approaching on Dec. 1,#SeeHer Storyis looking back at the life of Elizabeth Glaser — a Hollywood wife and mother who decided to make it her life’s mission to raise awareness about the virus.
The goal of#SeeHer Story, adigital video series fromKatie CouricMedia and PEOPLE, is to recognize female trailblazers throughout the past 100 years and celebrate how they’ve helped to shape history and culture.
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Glaser was born in New York and later married actor and director Paul Michael Glaser in 1980.
Her story of activism began when the two had their first child, a daughter named Ariel, just a year after their marriage.
While giving birth to Ariel, Elizabeth “hemorrhaged and was transfused with seven pints of blood,” she explained in the video.
Four years later, Elizabeth found out that she had been infected with the AIDS virus through the blood transfusion, and passed it on through her breastmilk to Ariel, who later died at only seven years old.
The couple also had a son, Jake, who was infected with the virus in utero.
“The message about AIDS is that this is something we all have to pay attention to, this is something that’s affecting all different parts of society. We can’t keep it off in that corner as we’ve tried to do, to say, ‘This is someone else’s problem,'” she said in the clip.
In 1988, Elizabeth founded the Pediatric AIDS Foundation as a means to make positive change for children and families like hers.
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The nonprofit fought on Capitol Hill, funded research and Elizabeth was even invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention.
“This is not about being a Republican or an Independent or a Democrat. It’s about the future for each and every one of us,” she said during her speech.
The activist passed away at age 47 due to complications from the disease in 1994. Jake, however, is healthy today and continues to work with the organization.
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The Pediatric AIDS Foundation now operates in 19 countries and has supported more than 27 million people around the world, thanks to Elizabeth’s efforts that continue to make an impact 25 years after her passing.
source: people.com
