In Praise of Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan

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With the sudden and shocking death of Supervisor Wilma Chan, I wish to honor her memory and legacy. Incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable, Chan represented San Leandro (along with the City of Alameda and parts of Oakland) on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors for multiple terms of office. She was a fierce and accomplished advocate for the elderly, children, the medically uninsured and others on the margins of society.

Of particular interest to San Leandrans, Chan played a decisive role in saving San Leandro Hospital from closure by Sutter Health. At the time the hospital was the only acute care hospital with an emergency room in our city. Its loss would have been devastating to the community. Chan found a leverage point to convince Sutter to keep the hospital open and transfer its ownership to the publicly controlled Alameda Health System. It was my honor to work closely with Chan on this initiative.

I offer my condolences to her family, friends and dedicated staff.


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