Sharon Stone Raises $1 Million in 5 Minutes to Fight Malaria

In the January 28 issue of this journal, an article about the Golden Raspberry Awards, given for bad performances in cinema, commented on the film “Catwoman” saying in part, “Sharon Stone, who isn’t much of an actress, didn’t help, and her worst supporting actress nomination is merited.” While standing by that assessment of her acting, she wins a gold star for taking action by raising $1 million to fight malaria – in just five minutes.

Every publication has its hobby horses, and here, the needless deaths of kids in the poorer regions of the world make up part of that stable. Malaria is a disease that just doesn’t have to be. The mosquito that carries can be eradicated, effective treatments cost only a few cents (a great one costs less than a cup of Starbucks coffee), and netting to keep the mosquito away costs only a few dollars.

So, when Ms. Stone attended a panel on malaria at the Davos Conference of Important People (better known as the World Economic Forum), she learned that 150,000 kids die each month because they don’t have mosquito netting over their beds. She also stood up and told panelist and Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, “I'd like to offer you $10,000 to buy some bed nets today.” That’s enough for around 1,300 nets – and maybe that many kids would get to grow up.

She then turned to the audience and added, “Just stand up. Just stand up. People are dying in his country today, and that is not okay with me." It apparently wasn’t really OK with the delegates either. One delegate coughed up $50,000, and another 30 got out their checkbooks. Before the next panel, the hat had been passed for $1 million. According to the BBC, “The money will go to the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.” The Kensington Review has nothing good to say about AIDS or TB either.

When the Golden Raspberries are announced, Ms. Stone might get named the worst supporting actress in Hollywood. But there are a lot of people who act poorly. Ms. Stone did something better – she took action and did it very well.





© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

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