A Pound of Care
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From the start it was left to individuals, especially celebrities who had the ear of millions, to take action. First Rock Hudson, then Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Diana, and now Elton John, who pulls no punches when castigating governments for their callousness and politicians for their ignorance, not to mention Pope John Paul II for his vocal opposition to condom use, which allowed the disease to spread unnecessarily.

   Woven into the narrative, but not distracting from its main thrust, is John’s honest discussion of his personal issues. Spurred by his reaction to the final years of Ryan White, the young hemophiliac whose life was made a living hell when it was discovered that he had AIDS, John turned his own life around. White’s torment occurred while John was addicted to cocaine and was very overweight. Taking on Ryan White’s cause, especially after his death, Sir Elton sprang into action, getting clean and focusing on the plight of AIDS victims.

While recognizing the importance of medical research and HIV treatment, John has concentrated his efforts on the care of those suffering from the disease. The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) helps the living deal with all the social issues, from isolation to lack of resources, that make the disease so unbearable for them. “Hiv/aids is a disease that not only attacks the human immune system; it attacks the human social system,” writes John. With this focus, his organization has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to help provide housing, comfort, and direction for those left on the sidelines of society. He has shown that such actions not only reduce the torment of those with AIDS but also create a bulwark against its spread. Lest we forget, millions have the disease and thousands are still dying annually, with new infections piling up daily.

While operating on all geographic levels—locally, nationally, and internationally—EJAF also takes its mission far beyond the gay community. EJAF is as concerned about the plight of young women in South Africa as it is about the poverty-stricken citizens of Thailand or the gay men of Louisiana. In the Ukraine, where John’s group has been active, there is only one clinic for a population that has been especially hard-hit; education is nonexistent; medicines are expensive and out of reach; and HIV-positive people live in fear of being arrested if their medical history is revealed. What John and his foundation point up is that AIDS can no longer be seen as a Western or even a gay disease. His book—proceeds of its sale go to support the work of EJAF—serves as an important reminder of what each of us can do.