[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16207-16208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   TRIBUTE TO ANDREA RAVINETT MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2001

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Andrea Ravinett Martin, 
an extraordinary leader, a national treasure and a great friend.
  Andrea Martin is the founder, the Executive Director and the living 
soul of The Breast Cancer Fund, a national public trust nonprofit 
established to innovate and accelerate our nation's response to breast 
cancer.
  A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Andrea graduated Phi Beta Kappa from 
Newcomb College of Tulane University in New Orleans and went on to earn 
a Masters degree in French before moving to San Francisco, California 
in 1969. Three years later, she entered law school at the University of 
California Hastings and began a career in litigation which would last 
until 1980, at which point, Andrea opened a Memphis-style barbeque 
restaurant called Hog Heaven. Years later, having sold the popular San 
Francisco establishment, Andrea participated as a fellow in the Coro 
Foundation's City-Focus program, a year-long training program in civic 
leadership. In May 1988, Andrea, the proud mother of her daughter 
Mather, married her second husband, Richard Gelernter.
  Just eight months after their wedding day--and two weeks after losing 
her sister-in-law to breast cancer--Andrea discovered a seven 
centimeter invasive tumor in her right breast. Told she had a 40 
percent chance of survival and less then five years to live, Andrea 
Martin underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, a mastectomy, six weeks of 
radiation, and a final eight rounds of another chemotherapy protocol. 
Just one month after the completion of her treatment in 1990, Andrea 
went back to work, joining Dianne Feinstein's campaign for governor of 
California. Two months into the campaign, however, the nightmare 
returned, when Andrea discovered a tiny lump in her remaining breast. 
Just as quickly as before, she opted for a mastectomy and returned to 
work two weeks later.
  Throughout both her personal and professional life, Andrea Martin has 
consistently strived to transform her personal adversity into a triumph 
for humankind. While working for Feinstein, Andrea also began raising 
money to combat breast cancer, organizing a series of events and 
activities to heighten awareness and increase funding for the 
prevention and treatment of this devastating disease.
  In October 1992, Andrea Martin founded the Breast Cancer Fund, a 
national public trust nonprofit that has grown and become one of the 
preeminent organizations nationwide dedicated to fighting breast 
cancer. The Fund operates through a wide variety of activities to raise 
awareness and new sources of funding for cutting-edge projects in 
breast cancer research, education, advocacy and patient support.
  Andrea works full time directing the Fund and traveling across the 
country to give talks and to consult with researchers, health care 
providers and breast cancer organizations. A reliable and expert source 
on breast cancer prevention and treatment, Andrea Martin is frequently 
called upon by Members of Congress as well as state and local 
governments to share her insights and counsel on major public policy 
endeavors. A member of the External Advisory Board to the Breast Cancer 
SPORE at the University of California in San Francisco, Andrea also 
serves on numerous advisory committees to the California Division of 
the American Cancer Society.
  In addition to her Breast Cancer Fund activities, Andrea Martin has 
an extraordinary history of accomplishments, honors and achievements. 
She's a model of courage for the thousands of women who are diagnosed 
each year with breast cancer. In 1995, Andrea joined 16 fellow breast 
cancer survivors in

[[Page 16208]]

climbing 23,000-foot Aconcagua in the Argentine Andes.
  Today Andrea faces another extraordinary challenge in addition to the 
many she has overcome * * * a malignant brain tumor.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring a woman 
who has brought hope and courage to millions of women around the world, 
and as we honor her and her work, we promise our prayers as she fights 
to overcome this challenge successfully.

                          ____________________