More Proof That Not Every Celebrity Is Unawareof the World Around Them.

Like fellow actress Angelina Jolie, Alyssa Milano shows that she's more than just a Hollywood stereotype:

I learned about NTDs [Neglected Tropical Diseases] when I heard Dr. Peter Hotez speak at least year's Clinton Global Initiative and I felt compelled to help raise awareness of this injustice. In the past year, we have made tremendous progress in educating people about the impact of NTDs on the developing world -- but the fact of the matter is that most people still don't know what they are.

These diseases are rightfully called "neglected" because the lives they destroy are those of "the poorest of the poor" -- one billion men, women and children who have no power, who have no voice. Diseases like river blindness, that's caused by black flies that bite their victims near the eyes and leave behind parasitic worms to destroy sight. And snail fever, which you get by simply bathing or washing in a stream, and which causes severe liver or kidney damage. And elephantiasis, so named because it leads to unspeakable deformities, like swelling of the legs to elephant-sized proportions, making even walking impossible. Beyond health, NTDs contribute to an ongoing cycle of poverty and stigma that leaves tens of millions unable to work, go to school or participate in family and community life. This cycle of poverty goes on and on, from generation to generation, trapping individuals, families and even entire communities in hopeless misery and despair.

More info about NTDs can be found here.