[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 6, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9-S10]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                   REMEMBERING SYLVIA GARCIA RICKARD

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to 
convey to my colleagues news of the tragic death of Sylvia Rickard--one 
of the Nation's top breast cancer advocates--a woman so full of life 
and joy, so deeply immersed in the science of her passion, that it is 
impossible to imagine this sad, sad occurrence.
  Sylvia was truly an amazing person who touched many lives. I first 
met Sylvia when she visited my office so many years ago to educate me 
on the need for more breast cancer research, for better breast cancer 
screening, and for better patient navigation. Sylvia, herself a two-
time survivor of breast cancer, and later of ocular melanoma, made sure 
that my staff and I, and indeed all of the Utah and Idaho delegations, 
regardless of party, were kept apprised of the latest developments in 
breast cancer research. She patiently walked us through the science 
behind the research--a science she made it her business to know in 
great detail.
  Sylvia was such a good advocate because she had fought this dread 
disease, and won. Not once, but twice.

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Moreover, Sylvia, and her husband Rick, became friends to all--to me, 
my staff, and to my former staff--here in Washington, and in our 
beloved State of Utah. She always had a smile and a hug for everyone.
  Sylvia made it her business not just to talk the talk, but also to 
walk the walk. She was a past president of the Women's State 
Legislative Council in Utah, a bipartisan group of women who meet to 
discuss issues of importance to Utah and the Nation. She also was the 
founder of the Utah Breast Cancer Network, and the president of the 
Hispanic Health Care Task Force in Utah. Sylvia became involved in 
building awareness at the local level, as well as the national level. 
Indeed, she was very proud to have been selected to be an advisor to 
the National Institutes of Health--a remarkable recognition of her top-
ranked talent. She was involved at all levels in advocating for better 
biomedical research, better support for that research, and for a 
nonpartisan, commonsense approach to a disease that is now expected to 
affect one in eight women over their lifetimes.
  I recall the twinkle in Sylvia's eye when top experts at the Huntsman 
Cancer Center in Salt Lake City sought her knowledge about eye cancer, 
after she was treated successfully. She had found a surgeon in another 
State who could treat her without the certain loss of her eye, and she 
helped to connect the physicians so they could learn from each other.
  It was a great loss to Utah when Rick Rickard built Sylvia the house 
of their dreams for retirement in Boise, ID this past fall. But we were 
all happy they had achieved their dream. I heard she was absolutely 
delighted to cook in her new kitchen. I am so pleased she at least got 
to spend a few months in their new home, one they had worked for so 
hard over so many years finally to achieve.
  So our hearts go out to the Rickard and Garcia families, to Sylvia 
and Rick's two sons, Richard, Jr. and David, and to the many millions 
of others whose lives have been made better by the significant 
achievements of my friend, Sylvia Rickard.

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