UCSF Is the Number One Fundraiser at AIDS Walk San Francisco
Robert Mansfield, top individual AIDS Walk San Francisco fundraiser for UCSF, celebrates at a reception honoring the UCSF AIDS Walk teams as Georgina Lopez, left, and Lisa Cisneros look on. Photo by Susan Merrell
UC San Francisco finished first place among this year’s AIDS Walk San Francisco fundraising teams, a feat achieved for the first time since UCSF started participating in the Walk back in 1987.
Various UCSF teams collectively raised $80,050.24, beating second place team Project Inform by $1,519.23. Project Open Hand, MAC cosmetics and AIDS Emergency Fund round out the top five fundraisers.
Chancellor Sam Hawgood congratulates all of the UCSF AIDS Walk teams for collectively raising the most money of any group at this year's event. Photo by Susan Merrell
Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, honored UCSF AIDS Walk team members at a reception held in their honor.
“I am proud to recognize the tremendous work of staff, students and faculty in AIDS Walk San Francisco, an event that exemplifies UCSF’s commitment to our public mission,” he said. “UCSF is proud to participate in this event because it brings us together as a community for a good cause – raising funds to support AIDS-related patient care, research and education to fight the epidemic.”
Robert Mansfield, communications coordinator at Global Health Sciences, was once again the top individual fundraiser for UCSF, raising $7,000. He led a team consisting of employees at the AIDS Research Institute, Global Health Sciences and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute to another first place victory among UCSF teams with a cumulative total of $19,153.
“There was some great competition but in the end it was a real team effort that put UCSF in first place,” Mansfield said. “We are all very proud of the results this year and I want to thank everyone who made this possible. UCSF has led the way in research and treatment, so it is exciting to show our support in this way, too.”
Joey Convento gathers members of the UCSF AIDS Walk teams for a selfie at a reception held in their honor at Mission Bay. Photo by Weisheng Ye
UCSF teams set an ambitious goal of $75,000 several months ago, ultimately exceeding it by more than $5,000. Last year, they raised $71,573. Teams across the Bay Area collectively brought in more than $2.32 million.
Funds raised in the annual trek through Golden Gate Park will help fund Project Inform and 43 other Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations, including those at UCSF that help people living with the disease survive and thrive.
UCSF has long been a top fundraiser in AIDS Walk San Francisco. Since the onset of the AIDS epidemic more than 30 years ago, the University also has been a global leader in patient care, research, health policy and education. You can see UCSF role in the AIDS crisis in our “Thirty Years of AIDS” timeline.
UCSF AIDS Walk team members celebrate their first place fundraising accomplishment with Chancellor Sam Hawgood. Photo by Susan Merrell