The Glaser's Story

In 1981, when Elizabeth was nine months pregnant with Ariel, she began bleeding and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she was given seven pints of blood. The baby was delivered successfully.

Three weeks later, Elizabeth read a newspaper article about the dangers of contracting HIV--the virus that causes AIDS--from blood transfusions. Her doctor reassured her she was fine and she was not tested for the virus.

Four years later, Ariel became very ill and hospital tests found her red blood count low, but doctors were certain it was not serious. Four months later the entire family was tested for AIDS. Elizabeth tested positive and she passed the virus to Ariel through her breast milk. She had also unknowingly given the virus in-utero to Jake. Paul was the only family member who remained unaffected.

On August 12, 1988, Ariel died from AIDS. She was seven years old.

After Ariel's death, Elizabeth went to Washington to lobby members of Congress. A friend arranged for her to meet with President Reagan and his wife. Elizabeth was convinced that the administration was not doing enough for AIDS research and got the budget for pediatric AIDS raised from $3.3 million to $8.8 million.

In 1988, she co-founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and helped raise million of dollars for care and treatment of young AIDS victims. In eight months she raised $2.2 million to finance 40 research grants.

On December 3, 1994, Elizabeth Glaser passed away from AIDS. Jake, now 11 years old, has shown no signs of developing AIDS. Paul and Jake live in Santa Monica, California, where Paul has joined the Board of Directors of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and continues the quest for a cure.

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