The History of Children With AIDS Charity

In 1991 a Specialist Paediatric HIV Service was established in St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London. In 1992 the team were seeing an increase in the number of children they were caring for and seeing the impact that HIV had on children and their families.

Rebecca Handel, whose daughter Bonnie was being cared for at St Mary’s, met Jo Dodge, the coordinator of the service, to discuss the shortage in the existing provision of services for children infected and affected by HIV. Being white, middle-class and Jewish, Rebecca shattered all HIV-positive stereotypes, having become infected with HIV through a blood transfusion in her second pregnancy, before blood was screened for the virus.

Together with the paediatric team of St. Mary’s they decided to start a charity that could respond to the specific practical, emotional and educational requirements of children and their families infected and affected by HIV. A committee was formed in 1992 and on 12th October 1993 the Children With AIDS Charity was officially registered. Bonnie Handel, Rebecca’s daughter, died in St Mary’s Hospital the following December; Rebecca Handel died on 1 January 1995.

There are numerous people who have been pivotal to the successful maintenance and development of CWAC’s services, without whose support, such growth would not have been possible. They will always be remembered for their courage and selflessness.

Fifteen years on, CWAC is at the forefront of the fight against paediatric HIV and AIDS. The Education Programme has initiated ground-breaking projects, vital to stopping the spread of HIV, whilst the Hardship Project provides parents and children with essential items (such as warm winter clothing). The struggle to heighten HIV and AIDS awareness never stops. In spite of medical advances, children are still being born with HIV and young people need to know what the risks are and how to protect themselves.

The children of CWAC depend on your generosity to help them combat the fallacies surrounding HIV and AIDS issues and the fear and isolation that goes with it. Please help us to help children lead happier lives.

Read about the documentary 'Rebecca's Secret'.

CWAC's Children's Memorial Quilt was the idea of Jo Dodge and Diane Melvin of the St Mary's Hospital HIV Team. Jo explained "Over the years one of the questions that is often asked is 'how will I be remembered?' The quilt serves as an ongoing reminder to the memory of those who have died".

The Peachtree Quilters embroidered the quilt with images of the four seasons. A child who has died can be represented on the quilt with a brightly coloured ribbon. Close family members of any child who has died from an AIDS related illness are invited to have the child remembered on the quilt.