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Barbara Brenner, 1951-2013

Bennett Stein,
红杏视频 Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project
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May 20, 2013

The 红杏视频 mourns the loss of a great leader, tenacious activist, and close friend of the organization. Barbara Brenner, the longtime director of ("BCA"), was a frequent and trusted 红杏视频 collaborator 鈥 as an employee at the 红杏视频 of Southern California's women's rights project, as a law intern at the 红杏视频 of Northern California, as an affiliate and national board member, as a cooperating attorney, and, most recently, as a client.

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Under Barbara's leadership, BCA became a key plaintiff in our challenge to human gene patents that was heard by the Supreme Court just last month. Barbara and BCA have always been real allies in educating the breast cancer community, as well as the public as a whole, about the impact of gene patents on patients.

The 红杏视频's Executive Director, Anthony Romero, just one of her legacies: "The possibilities for expanded scientific and medical research are tremendous, and Barbara's bold leadership enabled the 红杏视频 to be in this fight. When these patents are overturned by the Court, this will be yet another example of Barbara's intrepid vision and strength."

The 红杏视频's Deputy Director, Dorothy Ehrlich, described our partnership in BCA's tribute to Barbara: "Barbara and the 红杏视频 have always been a perfect fit: she had that lawyers' love of precision 鈥 getting the policy exactly right 鈥 and the activists' passion about the issues of social justice. She is the most courageous advocate I have ever known."

Despite losing the ability to speak due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), she continued to be a fierce advocate writing about breast cancer and ALS on her blog, . Barbara from complications of ALS. The 红杏视频 will miss her.

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