[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 154 (Friday, October 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2125-E2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. ALVAN E. FISHER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 12, 2007

  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Dr. 
Alvan E. Fisher, a pioneer in treating those affected by AIDS in Rhode 
Island, who distinguished himself with an extraordinary career as a 
courageous physician and leader in my home state and throughout the 
Nation. Dr. Fisher passed away on September 28, 2007, after dedicating 
over 25 years of service to the treatment of people with AIDS.
  As a man with deep conviction and tremendous spirit of public 
service, Dr. Fisher in the early 1980s ventured into the care of 
patients who other doctors feared, and I am deeply honored to pay 
tribute to this outstanding Rhode Island native who spent 22 years in 
clinical practice in Rhode Island treating and advocating for patients 
with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Project Rhode Island recognized him with its first 
``Red Ribbon Community Service Award'' in 2002, among many accolades he 
had received in his lifetime.
  Dr. Fisher was a specialist in infectious diseases and a founding 
member of AIDS Project Rhode Island, where he was instrumental in 
establishing standards of care for patients with HIV and helping 
patients find doctors who would treat them. He served as chairman of 
the AIDS task force at Rhode Island Hospital and helped start the Brown 
University AIDS Program. More recently, Dr. Fisher continued his work 
in the field of HIV/AIDS treatment as senior director of medical 
affairs for Gilead Sciences, a biotech company in Foster City, 
California.
  Dr. Fisher was ahead of the times and was someone who understood very 
well that through acts of bravery and by deeply caring, he worked every 
day to ensure that patients in

[[Page E2126]]

our State of Rhode Island and nationally would have a chance to 
maintain dignity and live a full and healthy life with HIV/AIDS.
  Today, I praise Dr. Fisher and thank him for all of his contributions 
to our country and I assure his family that we are inspired and 
sustained by his example.

                          ____________________