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Sister Anne Dougherty, a Franciscan nun in Tampa Bay, was an advocate in the fight against AIDS in the 80s. Back then, even nurses avoided patients, afraid of catching the disease, but Dougherty valiantly worked in hospitals offering spiritual counseling.
When gay men told her their loved ones had turned their backs, Dougherty sprung into action, turning an old auto garage into Tampa’s Francis House, a support center for people with HIV/AIDS. Today, merged with Empath Partners in Care, it offers HIV testing, support groups, substance abuse counseling, medical and housing care management, and community meals, all free of charge.
– Eve Lederman, The 100 Companies