Australia’s Oldest HIV Charity Appoints Ita Buttrose As Patron
Image: Ita Buttrose
Australia’s longest-running HIV Charity Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF) announced the appointment of Ita Buttrose AC, OBE as Patron.
BGF said that the appointment recognises Buttrose’s “contribution to public health policy and Australia’s response to HIV/AIDS over the past 40 years.”
“We are incredibly honoured to appoint Ita Buttrose as our esteemed Patron for our organisation. For decades, Ita has stood as a steadfast pillar of support for people living with HIV, tirelessly championing social justice. She is an exceptional advocate for our cause and with her support, we are confident in our ability to continue improving the quality of life for all people living with HIV,” BGF CEO Nick Lawson said in a statement.
Founded in 1984, BGF is Australia’s oldest community-based HIV charity, which provides “essential physical, emotional and financial support to people living with HIV”.
‘Ita Buttrose’s Contributions To HIV/AIDS Policy Was Critical’
Australian jurist Michael Kirby and his partner Johan van Vloten are Co-Patrons of BGF. “Those of us who lived through the dark years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic will never forget the quiet, sane and inclusive contributions of Ita Buttrose. No one could deserve this appointment as richly as she does.”
According to BGF, Buttrose “had a leading role in the development of Australia’s HIV/AIDS policy in the 1980s as the Chair of the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS). Her contribution was critical in shaping the national conversation surrounding the pandemic and she helped reduce HIV/AIDS stigma through challenging misconceptions and promoting compassion, understanding and acceptance for all people who were living with HIV.”
The chairperson of national broadcaster ABC said she was delighted to accept the appointment and to help guide BGF into the future. “I believe that all people living with HIV deserve love, as well as help and care and I am committed to helping BGF do just that,” said Buttrose.
