Ville Magazine l Insider Access for City Lifestyle Nov/Dec / Holiday Issue 2016 | Page 35

SPOTLIGHT ON

TERA MARTIN

Founder of Pink Gene Foundation
At age 28, Tera Martin found a lump through self-examination, which turned out
to be Stage 3 breast cancer. She was in the fourth generation of women in her
family to develop breast cancer. Even though she was in the minority to develop
it at such a young age, she tested positive for both BRCA-1 and BRCA-2, genetic
mutations that increase the chances of getting breast cancer by 50-80% in their
lifetime. Tera dealt with it better than most, understanding why it was happening.
But the majority of women do not know if they carry the gene because they never
get tested or get a mammogram, and Tera wanted to change that.
In 2012, Tera founded the Pink Gene Foundation to raise funds for young women
who are deemed high risk or battling breast cancer to provide them with resources
for genetic testing and therapies and/or costs not covered by insurance. In
addition, her foundation spreads awareness by educating women between the
ages of 18-35 on prevention, genetic testing, and radiation-free screening. Last
year, Pink Gene partnered with Fred Hutchinson Research Center to research the
compounds that specifically target dormant disseminated tumors that give rise to
metastases in long-term breast cancer survivors.
This past year, Tera finally became cancer free, but that hasn’t stopped her drive
for her cause. Help join the fight by donating at www.pinkgenefoundation.org.

GINGER LUKE

Founder of Ginger’s Pet Rescue
Ten years ago, when Ginger Luke owned Rickshaw restaurant that delivered
around the Greenwood neighborhood. Her husband made several deliveries to a
particular residence and heard a dog barking every time he went. Ginger decided
to investigate. The owner claimed the dog was mean and should be put down, but
she offered $50 to take the dog, and he agreed. The 10-pound dachshund, Barney,
had a swollen month, mites, a collar that was too tight, and had been locked in a
bathroom for almost two years. After a year and half of rescuing Barney, Ginger
founded Ginger’s Pet Rescue, a nonprofit that specializes in saving death-row dogs.
Today, she has found homes for more than 10,000 dogs, and Ginger’s Pet Rescue is
one of the largest nonprofit pet rescue organizations in Washington. It relies solely
on the support of adoptions and donors to provide for approximately 100 dogs at
any given time. They rescue dogs around Seattle, shelters in Texas and California,
Taiwan, and Iran where dogs are viewed as filthy creatures instead of loving pets.
Every rescued dog is tested by the team for behavior and personality. They are
also spayed or neutered, vaccinated, given microchips, and seen by a vet before
adoption.
Ginger’s Pet Rescue believes every dog deserves a second chance, much like Barney
who became a service dog for a deaf woman. If you are interested in adopting a
dog or donating, go to www.gingerspetrescue.org for the list of adoptable pets

THE HOLIDAY ISSUE l VILLE l 35