In Memory of C. Everett
Koop, MD, ScD, the Surgeon General
who Changed the Face of HIV/AIDS
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As the nation and indeed the world says goodbye to Dr. C. Everett Koop, the 13th Surgeon General of the U.S., and one of the greatest public health leaders of all time, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research expresses its gratitude for Dr. Koop's leadership from the first days of the AIDS crisis to the end of Dr. Koop's life when he advocated for accelerated HIV testing.
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Inspired by his leadership, we created the C. Everett Koop HIV/AIDS Public Health Leadership Award in 2010, intended to honor an individual who has advanced the nation's progress in fighting this disease through distinguished service, vision and leadership. Since Dr. Koop epitomized all these qualities, the Forum was proud to bestow the first award to him during the 2010 National Summit on HIV Diagnosis, Prevention and Access to Care in Washington. As part of that awards ceremony, Dr. Koop gave an hour-long and very candid address to the HIV/AIDS community reflecting his lessons learned over 25 years in combating HIV/AIDS. What he said about the early days of AIDS and his challenges as Surgeon General only underscore his courage, common sense and commitment to roll up his sleeves and make a difference.
To read The Early Days of AIDS, As I Remember Them click here
Since Dr. Koop received the first C. Everett Koop HIV/AIDS Public Health Leadership Award, the Forum bestowed the 2011 award to Dr. Koop's long-time colleague and friend, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and in 2012 to Congressman Henry A. Waxman. In 2013 and beyond, the Forum will continue this tradition of awarding a distinguished leader in the HIV/AIDS field with this award to honor Dr. Koop's memory and keep his spirit alive.
C. Everett Koop Tribute Video click here
The following are excerpts of remarks about Dr. Koop that demonstrate why he is the Surgeon General that changed the face of HIV/AIDS and will live on in our memories....
"No disease has
affected this country like HIV/AIDS. No public health leader has impacted the
trajectory of an epidemic like former Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett
Koop...Twenty-odd years ago, our nation's most memorable Surgeon General put in
motion a plan to demystify and de-stigmatize what was then a deadly, horrific
disease... While others were loath to refer to the virus and its disease by
name, Dr. Koop led the campaign in true public health style."
-Veronica Miller
(click to read remarks in the Annals of the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research)
"C. Everett Koop was a Surgeon General like
no other. He will be remembered primarily for "the letter"- a notice
to every American household that there needed to be understanding of HIV, sex
education should start in grade 3, and condom use needed promotion; this at a
time when HIV and sex were not discussed often or well. He also campaigned
against smoking, spear-headed the campaign for rights for children with
disabilities and championed many other important public health issues. Yes, he
was a Surgeon General like no other and his impact on American health was
clearly unique."
-John G. Bartlett
"Personally, and to many of us in the medical and public
health fields, Dr. Koop is a courageous hero...His contributions to the
health of the Nation and the courageous manner in which he pursued this goal,
from the war on smoking through the AIDS epidemic...stands as testimony to the
enormous impact that he has had on this Nation and world.... Chick Koop.... always
seemed to do what was the most correct, honorable, and appropriate thing for
the health of the Nation and the world. This is his legacy."
-Anthony S. Fauci (click
to read remarks in the Annals)
