Hill Honors San Mateo Woman With Heroic Ties to Breast Cancer

Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, on Monday recognized a San Mateo woman for her tireless effort in helping those diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mara Berns Langer, who lost both her mother and grandmother to breast cancer, was honored as the 19th Assembly District's Woman of the Year during a ceremony on the Assembly floor.

Langer has twice beaten her own breast cancer diagnosis.

In 2004, her annual mammogram revealed ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, considered the earliest stage of breast cancer. She decided to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

Two years later, she felt a “pea-sized thing” under her left armpit, where there was leftover breast tissue. A biopsy determined, her cancer was back.

While beating breast cancer a second time, she has become a resource -- the “go to” person -- for Peninsula families confronting similar challenges, Hill said in a statement.

Langer meets regularly with women with breast cancer to share her experience and provide support and guidance. She is also a regular at local fundraisers, including many “walks” and “runs,” that support breast cancer research. Her team -- “Girls Gone Wild For a Cure” –  has raised thousands of dollars.

She is also an active volunteer in the local Jewish community and in her children’s school.

The Woman of the Year celebration is an annual event put on by the Legislature to honor well-deserving women as part of Women’s History Month. Each assembly member selects a woman residing in his or her district who has made significant contributions to the community.

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