Governor Tommy G. Thompson
Watch Gov. Thompson's Rwanda video diaries
“For the cost of deworming one pet in the United States, we can deworm 180 children in Africa. We have the tools; we need the political will to get the resources to those who need our help…The joy that I have seen in the faces of the mothers of Rwanda through this new campaign should be an inspiration for us all to unite and act to end the neglect.”
- Tommy Thompson
In July 2008, the Global Network announced Tommy G. Thompson as a Global Ambassador. Thompson, former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and four-term Governor of Wisconsin, is a valuable new partner in the fight for increased NTD control efforts. Secretary Thompson will represent the NTD community as an advocate on Capitol Hill and as a leader in global health. He will also champion global medical diplomacy as a crucial part of United States foreign and defense policies.
Rwanda's Mother/Child Health Week 2008
In August 2008, Secretary Thompson traveled through Rwanda as part of his first medical diplomacy mission on behalf of the Global Network. There, he had the opportunity to join Rwanda’s Ministry of Health in launching the first-ever national deworming campaign in the Nyaruguru District as part of its Mother/Child Health Week. The event dewormed 3.8 million people for soil-transmitted helminths (worm infections) and treated
107,000 people for schistosomiasis (snail fever).
Alyssa Milano
"Words cannot fully express the devastation and horror caused by NTDs. Until now, these diseases have been hidden in the shadows, but working with the Global Network, I am focused on bringing this tragedy to the public eye."
- Alyssa Milano
In June 2007, Alyssa Milano was named the Global Network's lead ambassador. She works to raise awareness of neglected tropical diseases by educating the mainstream media and the public about the plight of the one billion people afflicted and the importance of controlling and preventing this global health crisis.
Milano, an actress and active philanthropist, was introduced to the Global Network through her involvement with the Clinton Global Initiative. Upon hearing a panel discussion on NTDs that included Dr. Peter Hotez (President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute) and former President Jimmy Carter, she pledged to dedicate time, effort and funds to promote advocacy, policy and partnerships in the global fight against NTDs.
Milano's first action as ambassador was to pledge $250,000 to the Global Network. The Global Network and its member organizations used Milano's first-year donation to develop a full-scale implementation program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Myanmar, a Southeast Asian nation where LF is extremely prevalent. More specifically, 12 million tablets of DEC, an antiparasitic drug that is part of the rapid-impact package, were purchased to treat 4 million individuals. In 2008, Milano’s second-year donation went toward the purchase of DEC to treat LF in Haiti. Her donation will allow for the treatment of over one-third of Haiti’s entire population.
Dr. Andy Baldwin
Watch Andy's Just 50 Cents Video
“Through my work with the Navy I have traveled the globe and worked in places like Cambodia and Laos, where I have seen the devastating effects of NTDs first hand. As Grassroots Ambassador, I hope to spread the word about the tremendous impact we can make by investing in NTD control by supporting and encouraging people to get involved in the Just 50 Cents campaign, and engaging in medical diplomacy to help end the cycle of poverty and promote peace and economic prosperity.”
- Andy Baldwin
In November 2009, the Global Network announced Andrew Baldwin, M.D, as a Grassroots Ambassador. In this role, the physician, humanitarian and former star of ABC’s “The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman” will work to raise the profile of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by educating the public about these disabling, debilitating, and even deadly diseases.
Dr. Baldwin will play a key role in driving awareness and participation for the Campus Challenge, a major component of the Global Network’s signature grassroots initiative Just 50 Cents, encouraging students to start a Just 50 Cents campaign in their school, workplace, or community. A donation of just 50 cents per person, per year, is all it takes to provide treatment for the seven most common NTDs.
He will also promote medical diplomacy efforts for the Global Network by engaging in NTD prevention and treatment through his work with humanitarian missions. He recently used his medical and Spanish language skills this summer aboard the U.S. hospital ship USNS COMFORT, as part of a naval team that brought medical, dental and civic action programs to seven Caribbean, Central and South American nations. As part of the SOUTHCOM mission which began May 29th, Dr. Baldwin had a special focus on NTDs, which impact over 230 million people in the region.
