Honoring the Rocket Man: EJAF’s Impact and Legacy

There are some people you meet in life who inspire and impact you in incredible ways. For me, and for many others, Elton John is one of those people.?

For more than three decades, Elton has championed HIV/AIDS testing, treatment and education around the world through the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) with a raw passion. The Foundation’s vision is to end AIDS in our world by 2030. And it’s not just for the benefit of one community - this work impacts everyone.?

EJAF’s story is about how you care for others when no one is watching. Philanthropy isn’t about glitzy parties and big, public moments. Sometimes, it’s the friendships you create in private that spark real change. You can’t just talk about making an impact on our world. You live through what you give, and you must be willing to show up and do the work.??

For Elton, it all started with a young man from Indiana named Ryan White. Before Ryan passed away from AIDS, he and Elton formed a friendship that captured the world’s attention. Elton was inspired to start EJAF while sitting at his kitchen table in Atlanta. Elton stood up for this young man when he was also going through personal challenges. Ryan’s courage to face the world, knowing he was dying from a disease while everyone was paralyzed with fear, catapulted Elton into the next stage of his life. Elton finding his purpose was pivotal in the decades to come. For millions around the world, EJAF has created direct access to care and education for HIV/AIDS.

David Furnish, Elton’s husband, has been his partner and the architect in building EJAF’s global footprint in this transformational effort to serve those impacted by HIV/AIDS.

In 2022, I was honored to join EJAF as a board member. I became David’s co-chair of The Rocket Fund along with Donatella Versace and David Geffen in 2023. In less than a year, we have raised almost $95 million toward our goal of $125 million by 2025. This will give the “rocket boost” in the fight to end AIDS and create a better, more equitable future for everyone. EJAF can make history, and I am thrilled to be a small part of this initiative.??

As longtime friends, Elton and David motivate me to do this work. I want them to witness the end of AIDS in their lifetime. Elton has worked tirelessly to dedicate himself to this cause, and he should be there when we make it a reality. We have a shared perspective about philanthropy and how to reach the people you’re serving. You must create a personal connection that comes from your heart in order to gain a true understanding of your purpose.??

For me and Bill, my husband and co-founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation, our friendship with Elton and David started in 2003 backstage at one of Elton’s charity concerts. There was so much synergy between what Elton was doing with EJAF and our work with Starkey Hearing Foundation to reach communities that lacked resources and direct access to care, education, training, screenings for hearing loss and hearing aids. For Elton, it was AIDS treatment and education. To know that backstage handshake would symbolize so much two decades later and make a positive impact on people all over the world shows how small acts can turn into global movements.?

Elton and David have joined us on missions with Starkey Hearing Foundation over the years. We went to a local hospital in Zimbabwe that was being run by young adults, peer-to-peer. I can still remember sitting with David, visiting with a child who was ill and their mother, listening to their story. She asked us to come see her home, and David didn’t hesitate to say, ”Yes.” You could feel this woman’s delight in hosting us. It reminded me of Elton and Ryan. These special moments are what really matter - meeting people where they are, getting to know their lives and being a part of what makes them special. Moments like these are what have fueled our volunteer work with Starkey Hearing Foundation for years and continue to motivate us today.

Bill and I feel Elton and David are kindred spirits through our work - operating from a place of love, kindness and caring between our organizations. The legacy Elton has created for the world through EJAF inspires me every day.