[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12605-12606]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ANDREA FOX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Andrea Fox of San 
Rafael, California, a talented professional planner, community 
volunteer, athlete and breast cancer activist, and an inspiration to 
everyone who knew her.
  Andrea Fox lost her life in a battle against breast cancer on July 2 
at the age of 35, leaving a legacy of extraordinary courage and 
compassion. A beautiful young woman with incredible grace and dignity, 
Annie Fox was dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer. Diagnosed 
with a particularly aggressive cancer in 1998, the former triathlete, 
who ate organically and exercised regularly, had none of the 
traditional risk factors for cancer.
  Undergoing a lumpectomy, she continued her athletic training and 
stage IV cancer seemed to disappear. But in April 2000, the cancer came 
back, and pursuing every treatment she could find, including non-
Western, nontraditional methods, Annie appeared to have beaten it back 
again.
  Andrea focused her considerable energies on increasing public 
awareness and getting national attention for this serious epidemic of 
breast cancer in Marin County, joining the board of Marin Breast Cancer 
Watch. ``Annie was one of our angels,'' said board president Roni 
Mentzer.
  Whether lobbying in Sacramento for breast cancer research or 
educating the community about the dangerously high rates of cancer in 
Marin County, Annie made a difference. She made history.
  Never daunted, she participated in athletic events such as the 
renowned Dipsea race and the human race, and she organized new events 
like the July 20, 2002 foot race from Mill Valley to the Mountain 
Theater on Mount Tamalpais to increase public knowledge and raise much-
needed funds for research.
  In October 2001, only 2 months after her engagement to long-time 
partner and soulmate Chris Stewart, the cancer came back and Annie 
mounted still another heroic campaign. Not one to seek sympathy, she 
was driven to passionately lead the fight for all women to find a cause 
for this insidious disease.
  Despite increasing pain, she continued her work at the Marin Civic 
Center. ``Annie was a special person,'' Stewart said, ``bringing a 
wonderful happiness to all those who knew her. She was passionate about 
her work and about preserving the environment.''
  A woman of uncommon positive spirit, Andrea Fox lost her courageous 
battle with breast cancer surrounded by friends and family, leaving her 
devoted fiance, her mother, her brother and a grieving community.
  We are all more fortunate to have been graced by the presence of 
Andrea Fox, her beauty, her wisdom and her strength. Her love, resolve 
and remarkable will are cornerstones for the legacy of courage she has 
left so that we might continue the fight.
  While Annie is gone, the spirit of this angel of our community will 
forever be with us.

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