August 29, 1997

Jeanne White, mother of AIDS victim Ryan White, lectures on campus

On Tuesday, September 9, Loyola welcomes Jeanne White, mother of AIDS victim Ryan White, to campus for a public lecture. Since Ryan's death in 1990, White has lectured across the country educating young people about AIDS and the HIV virus. Her lecture, "The Legacy of Ryan White," will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Audubon Room.

As you might recall, Ryan was thrown into the national spotlight in 1984 when, the school system in his hometown of Kokomo, Ind., refused to allow him to return to school after learning the youngster contracted the HIV virus through a tainted blood supply. Ryan was a hemophiliac and often received blood transfusions. The Whites sued and won the right to send Ryan to school, where he returned to hostility and abuse. When a bullet was fired through the Whites' home, the family moved to Cicero, Ind. and were welcomed with open arms. There, Ryan went to school, earned a driver's license, and traveled to visit music legends Elton John and Michael Jackson. On April 8, 1990 Ryan died.

In the ensuing weeks after his death, White received more than 60,000 pieces of mail. She set up shop in her basement, answered the letters, and realized there was a demand for education about this deadly virus. Since then, she has made educating youngsters her mission. She traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby for passage of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource Act (CARE), a bill which called for federal funding of AIDS education, research, and emergency medical care. The bill passed.

In addition to her speaking commitments, White serves as the founder and president of the Ryan White Foundation, a nonprofit organization which seeks to educate teenagers and adolescents on the personal, family, and community issues related to HIV/AIDS. Her latest book, Weeding Out The Tears, was published early this year. The book is a gripping account of her life since Ryan's death and her feelings about coping with the loss of her son. White's lecture is timely as the university community prepares to participate in the annual NO/AIDS Walk on September 14.

For more information about the lecture, call the University Programming Board at ext. 3622.