As all of you no doubt have heard, Chicago has lost a leading AIDS advocate.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Charles Clifton so I feel compelled to speak personally about him and his work. As a community-active physician in Chicago, I was fortunate to have worked with Charles on many projects and have gotten to know him in many different capacities. I have known Charles since the mid-90s but worked closely with him and Enid Vázquez as a medical consultant and writer for Positively Aware in 1999. It was very easy to work with Charles because of his outgoing and warm personality but especially because his interests were focused towards elevating Positively Aware into becoming the best nationally known HIV/AIDS educational treatment journal. While serving on TPAN's Board of Directors I watched Charles as his zeal, enthusiasm and desires for the success of the organization led to his becoming more further involved, taking on greater roles and responsibilities.

Charles was a strong advocate on AIDS issues and during the past few years we have had various in-depth conversations about the needs of Test Positive Aware Network and the Chicago AIDS community; Charles was very passionate. Eventually, his motivation and his activism brought him to seek the Executive Director position at TPAN, which was during a difficult time of reduced National AIDS funding and economic hardship. Eventually he succeeded beyond the expectations of many and despite reduced AIDS funding, although continuing his responsibilities as Editor of Positively Aware, simultaneously.

Among his hidden attributes Charles emerged as being very crafty yet practical; he also acted as a strong educational fundraiser and added a strong focus to the Agency, intensifying many programs and TPAN's prevention efforts. While many AIDS service organizations were having difficulty surviving, through no small contribution and influence by its' Executive Director, TPAN distinguished itself and shined. When needed, Charles was also not afraid to speak out against wrong. Recently, he spoke out against Abbott Labs' price gouging of their protease inhibitor, ritonavir (Norvir). When thinking about Charles and his contributions to the AIDS community I cannot help but feel a great sense of loss and emptiness that will remain.

On behalf of Northstar Healthcare, I extend my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Charles Clifton, and to the current and past, board, staff, clients, and volunteers of Test Positive Aware Network. We will continue Charles' legacy of advocating for the fight against AIDS until a cure is discovered and the sickness has ended.

Daniel S. Berger, M.D.
Medical Director
Northstar Healthcare
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago