Ellen DeGeneres named US HIV/AIDS envoy by Hillary Clinton

Published Nov 9 2011, 14:47 GMT  |  By Justin Harp

Ellen DeGeneres has been named a special AIDS envoy for the Obama administration.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Tuesday that DeGeneres has been chosen to promote a new HIV/AIDS awareness campaign around the world.

Clinton praised DeGeneres for her charitable work, saying: "By lending us your energy, compassion and star power to serve as our Special Envoy for Global AIDS Awareness, your words will encourage Americans in joining you to make their voices heard in our campaign to achieve an AIDS-free generation."

DeGeneres said she will use her new post to encourage her fans to help HIV/AIDS sufferers in any way they can.

"I'm honoured to have been chosen. The fight against AIDS is something that has always been close to my heart... Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go look up what 'envoy' means," DeGeneres quipped in a statement.

The comic also supports several other charitable causes, including the Human Rights Campaign and the Adopt-A-Turkey Project.

DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi recently announced plans to open a vegan restaurant in the San Fernando Valley, CA.

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