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Looking for Mrs. McCormick
The Looking for Mrs. McCormick Fund Raising Drive is inspired by the story of Mrs. Katharine McCormick, a wealthy philanthropist who used her own resources in 1951 to commission a set of eminent scientists to create a safe, effective and easy to use oral contraceptive pill.
On a wintry night in 1951, at a dinner party on Manhattan's Upper East Side, two women hatched a plan that would forever revolutionise women's sexual and reproductive health. Together, Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) and Katharine McCormick took their idea to pharmaceutical companies, however the men who ran the drug houses could not believe that women would ingest chemicals to prevent pregnancy.
Mrs. McCormick took matters into her own hands and funded early research into the modern-day Pill. One of the most revolutionary health inventions of the century emerged not from the pharmaceutical industry, but from the vision and perseverance of two remarkable women.
In 1991, we stood at a similar crossroads. Women were and still are up to six times more likely to contract HIV from a single unprotected act, yet lack a protective technology which they can control. Microbicides - a desperately-needed new category of products – would empower women with unprecedented ability to help protect themselves from STIs and HIV.
If the titans of industry failed to understand the importance of microbicides in the same way as they failed to understand the importance of birth control, then advocates needed to appeal directly to individuals for financial support! What we needed were Mrs. McCormicks for the new millennium that could reclaim sex from infection, in the same way the Pill liberated sexuality from the fear of unwanted pregnancy.
Armed with this new idea, Lori Heise and other microbicide advocates decided to "field test" their fundraising appeal by seeking feedback from local women known to be sympathetic to reproductive health and rights issues. Remarkably, one of these early "practice sessions" yielded our most ardent supporter to date - Mary Ann Stein.
Mary Ann has spent her entire life working to eliminate poverty and promote social equality. During her professional career she has worked as a community organiser, a lawyer, the head of a non-profit child advocacy group, and as the president of the Moriah Fund.
In July 2001, the Global Campaign honored Mary Ann for her steadfast support of the microbicide cause. Speaking to a crowded room of over 60 advocates from 25 countries, Global Campaign Director Lori Heise observed:
"When I was contemplating this tribute, I spoke briefly to Shira Saperstein, a friend and colleague of Mary Ann's and Chair of the Global Campaign's steering committee. I asked her, if you had to select one word to describe Mary Ann what would it be?
She said – ‘COURAGE.’
I realised immediately that the adjective was perfect. In numerous ways both big and small, Mary Ann demonstrates daily her courage to take on the most complex challenges and the most entrenched social issues. What is most inspiring is that Mary Ann does not approach people or issues out of charity, but out of a profound sense of social justice. In her work, she always strives to rectify imbalances in power and move people toward self-sufficiency.
It is little wonder that microbicides captured her imagination. Here was something that for the first time would put the "power to protect" into women's hands.
Since that day MaryAnn has remained a champion of microbicides and of the Global Campaign. As one of the participants observed at Mary Ann's award dinner: "The women of the world thank you".
How you can donate
The infrastructure is in place for individuals to make an enormous difference in the future course of the AIDS epidemic and in women's reproductive health. There are a variety of ways to invest.
Modest gifts can help mobilise larger sums from the governments & foundations by supporting the grassroots advocacy work of the Global Campaign for Microbicides. To donate, please contact your regional coordinator:
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Fred Lee |