![]()
World AIDS Day is held on the 1st December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988.
More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 8 (12.8%) are unaware of their infection. Globally there are an estimated 34 million people who have the virus.
Despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.
Today, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
Every year on World AIDS Day, We Love Soaps remembers the talented artists from the world of soap operas who lost their lives due to complications from the AIDS virus. Below is an alphabetical list.
Ben Archibek (Neil Curtis, Days of our Lives)January 6, 1943 – October 21, 1993 (age 50)
Amanda Blake (Julianna Stanhower, The Edge of Night)February 20, 1929 – August 16, 1989 (age 60)
Bill Beyers (Wally McCandless, Capitol)March 17, 1955 – May 29, 1992 (age 37)
Christopher Bernau (Philip Todd, Dark Shadows; Alan Spaulding, Guiding Light)June 2, 1940 – June 14, 1989 (age 49)
Robert Christian (Bob Morgan, Another World; Dr. Colby, All My Children; Lieutenant Frank, Search for Tomorrow)December 27, 1939 – January 27, 1983 (age 43)
Keith Christopher (Wyatt Sanders, Guiding Light; HIV+ gay man, Another World)April 27, 1957 – February 23, 1998 (age 40)
Nicholas Cortland (Greg Ray, As the World Turns; Dr. Winston Kyle, Search for Tomorrow)October 10, 1940 – August 21, 1988 (age 47)
Joel Crothers (Miles Cavanaugh, The Edge of Night; Jerry Cooper/Jack Lee, Santa Barbara; Julian Cannell, Somerset; Ken Stevens, The Secret Storm; Nathan Forbes, Dark Shadows; The Doctors)January 28, 1941 – November 6, 1985 (age 44)
Brad Davis (Alexander Kronos, How to Survive a Marriage)November 6, 1949 – September 8, 1991 (age 41)
Robert Drivas (Brad Robinson, Our Private World; Ernest Cooper in Young Doctor Malone)November 21, 1938 – June 29, 1986 (age 47)
Tom Fuccello (Paul Kendall, One Life – Live; Mark Elliott, Love is a Many Splendored Thing; Dave Culver, Dallas)December 11, 1936 – August 16, 1993 (age 56)
Leslie Graves (Brenda Clegg, Capitol)September 29, 1959 – August 23, 1995 (age 35)
Alan L. Hale (Publicity Agent)1949 – January 22, 1991 (age 41)
Anthony Holland (Jacques Pierre, Ryan's Hope)March 3, 1928 – July 9, 1988 (age 60)
Rock Hudson (Daniel Reece, Dynasty)November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985 (age 59)
Raymond St. Jacques (Arthur Hooks, Falcon Crest)March 1, 1930 – August 27, 1990 (age 60)
Paul Keenan (Todd Chandler, Days of our Lives; Tony Driscoll, Dynasty)December 10, 1955 – December 11, 1986 (age 31)
Douglas Lambert (Eddie Weeks, General Hospital)July 7, 1936 – December 16, 1986 (age 50)Irving Allen Lee (Calvin Stoner, The Edge of Night; Evan Cooper, Ryan's Hope)November 21, 1948 – September 5, 1992 (age 43)
Liberace (Guest Star, Another World)May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987 (age 67)
Lee Mathis (Jon Hanley, General Hospital)March 10, 1952 – May 1, 1996 (age 44)
Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter, Dallas; Spencer Langley, Search for Tomorrow)November 3, 1959 – December 6, 1988 (age 29)
David Oliver (Perry Hutchins, Another World; Sam Gardner, A Year in the Life)January 31, 1962 – November 12, 1992 (age 30)
Dennis Parker (Derek Mallory, The Edge of Night)October 28, 1946 – January 28, 1985 (age 38)
Keith Prentice (Morgan Collins, Dark Shadows)February 21, 1940 – September 27, 1992 (age 52)
Dack Rambo (Grant Harrison, Another World; Jack Ewing, Dallas; Steve Jacobi, All My Children; Wesley Harper, Paper Dolls; Tim, Never Too Young)November 13, 1941 – March 21, 1994 (age 52)
Samuel D. Ratcliffe (Writer, Another World, Texas, Santa Barbara, Capitol, Loving, Guiding Light, Days of our Lives)March 30, 1945 – December 14, 1995 (age 50)
Robert Reed (Lloyd Kendall, Search for Tomorrow; Mike Brady, The Bradys)October 19, 1932 – May 12, 1992 (age 59)
Larry Riley (Calvin Barnes, The Doctors; Frank Williams, Knots Landing)June 20, 1953 – June 6, 1992 (age 38)
Tom Rolfing (Cliff Tanner, Another World)February 1, 1950 – April 24, 1990 (age 40)
Howard E. Rollins Jr. (Ed Harding, Another World, FBI Agent, All My Children)October 17, 1950 – December 8, 1996 (age 46)
Paul Shenar (Anthony Westfield, Paper Dolls; Jason Dehner, Dynasty)February 12, 1936 – October 11, 1989 (age 53)
Biff Warren (Mark Lewis, As the World Turns)December 9, 1955 – September 26, 1993 (age 37)
Ricky Wilson (The B-52s, Guiding Light)March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985
Teddy Wilson (Clem, Dallas)December 10, 1943 – July 21, 1991 (age 47)
Greg York (The Young and the Restless Costume Designer)1961 – July 26, 1995 (age 34)
