Stephanie Ray

Stephanie Lee Ray (born 1986) is an AIDS patient from Phoenix, Arizona.

Biography

[Stephanie Ray] was born with AIDS. Her father and mother separated when she was young. Her mother had contracted the mortal virus during a transfusion, and she died in 1992.

As a ten year old girl, Stephanie made a television AIDS infomercial that was broadcast across the United States. She gained nationwide fame with her "You don't have to be afraid of me" phrase.

That same year, in Vancouver, British Columbia, doctors held a conference announcing a combination of three drugs that help reduce HIV concentration and the risks of other HIV and AIDS complications. Stephanie Ray was among the first patients to try these drugs.

In 1998, she moved to Wisconsin from Arizona with her father. Soon, she was put on a foster home because of possible child abuse and alcoholism problems held by her father. In 2000, however, she made headlines again, as she returned to Arizona, to visit her aunt, Cathy Stelters. She refused to move back to Wisconsin, causing a court-room controversy. Child right advocates were of the opinion that the case demonstrated that children should have more power in court custody decisions.

Stephanie flew back to Wisconsin soon after, but it was agreed by officials in the mid-western state that if her father violated some court-ordered conditions, she would be returned to Arizona.

In April of 2001, Stephanie Ray returned to Arizona, where she currently lives with her aunt and family.

Stephanie Ray currently takes about 40 pills a day as part of her treatment, which have helped the virus to go undetected in her blood, although she still has AIDS. She is active in softball and has been visited by Hillary Clinton. She has been on a few nationally televised shows, such as "Good Morning America".

Stephanie Ray aspires to become a policewoman.

External links

* [http://www.jsonline.com/news/jan99/0105steph.asp 1999 article about Stephanie Lee Ray]