FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 18, 2021
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Director of Communications
(860) 706-9654 – christopher.boyle@ct.gov
Statement From Connecticut Department Of Public Health
Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, On The Passing Of Shawn Lang
HARTFORD, Conn.—A lot has been said today about Shawn Lang, a longtime HIV/AIDS advocate who passed away Sunday.
While I did not personally know Shawn, many of my colleagues did, and they spoke so very highly of her. In addition to advocating for those living with HIV and AIDS, Shawn advocated for those with opioid addiction, survivors of domestic violence, and people experiencing housing insecurity.
As an infectious disease specialist, I have spent my career caring for patients with HIV/AIDS. Thanks to the dedication of thousands of scientists and physicians, the treatments for people living with HIV have come a long way over the decades.
But it’s people like Shawn who are the unsung heroes of this battle.
Her work with AIDS Connecticut, the National AIDS Housing Coalition, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS at Yale University had an extraordinary impact. She touched so many of those going through this journey, and we will probably never know for sure the tens of thousands of lives she affected.
Thank you, Shawn, for the difference you made in the lives of so many people in this world. Rest in peace.
Published by: Heather Trabal, MD
Heather.Trabal@ct.gov