As the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation marks its 20th anniversary, we renew our commitment to eradicating pediatric AIDS and helping those already infected with HIV. Here’s a snapshot of how far we’ve come, from our founding to today, in pursuit of our ultimate goal: creating a generation free of HIV.

THEN : Every year, more than 2,000 children were born with HIV in the United States.
NOW: About 100 children per year are born with HIV in the United States.

THEN: Three mothers around a kitchen table created a foundation dedicated to bringing hope to children with AIDS.
NOW: With close to 800 employees and a presence in 18 countries around the world, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a global leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Through its dedication to funding critical research and training, influencing public policy through advocacy, and launching and supporting global health initiatives to provide care and treatment and prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), the Foundation is ensuring every child has a chance at a long, healthy life—just like Elizabeth Glaser’s son, Jake, who is now 24.

THEN: No significant efforts were being made to halt the exploding AIDS epidemic in the developing world.
NOW: The Foundation began its Call to Action project to help extend the remarkable successes combating HIV and AIDS in the U.S. to elsewhere in the world. It provides lifesaving services in more than 3,600 sites internationally, working to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and give children who live with the virus a chance for a healthy future. As of September 30, 2008, the Foundation has provided more than 6.3 million women with services to help prevent transmission of HIV from mothers to babies. More than 570,000 individuals, including more than 46,000 children, have been enrolled into our care and support programs, and 300,000 individuals have begun antiretroviral treatment (ART), including more than 23,000 children under the age of 15.

THEN: Few people understood how HIV affected children, and no research was being conducted specifically focusing on pediatric AIDS.
NOW: To date, the Foundation has awarded $77 million in funding to more than 1,100 research projects focused on preventing HIV transmission, creating a pediatric HIV vaccine, training researchers and healthcare workers, and maximizing the impact and effectiveness of global HIV/AIDS programs.

THEN: HIV drugs used by adults were not tested in children, and few medicines and interventions were specifically available for kids.
NOW: The Foundation’s tenacious advocacy efforts have resulted in legislation that has expanded the participation of children in cutting-edge clinical research, significantly increased the number of drugs tested and labeled for children, and improved care for families affected by HIV in the U.S. The Foundation played a key role in the enactment of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA), and the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007.

THEN: The Foundation’s efforts were due to private contributions from a small number of caring individuals.
NOW: Funding for programs comes from a diversity of sources, including private donations, the U.S. government, international organizations, foundations, and corporations. In 2007, the Foundation spent $101 million in support of its efforts in the global fight against AIDS. It is the single largest provider of PMTCT services under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), as well as a major provider of pediatric treatment.