How did you become involved with City of Hope?
I've been involved for a number of years now. I became involved because my mother is a breast cancer survivor. City of Hope has had such a major role in raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research. It seemed a good fit.

Can you describe what City of Hope does?
They have different events throughout the year. Right now, if you go to grocery stores they are selling teddy bears to raise money for children's cancers. The walks I'm involved in are for breast cancer. One thing that's really good about City of Hope is that whatever they find out in their research, they share with other organizations all over the world. Another thing I really like about them is that they don't pay me for my involvement. Their money goes right into the research, which is really good. They have wonderful treatment programs. I had a girlfriend who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. She had no insurance and no money for treatment. They treated her, cost-free. So, when they approached me about joining their walks I was really thrilled to do it. They seemed to be an organization with a heart.

What does being a Celebrity Ambassador entail?
It entails traveling a bit and going to as many walks as I can. I actually participate in the walks. I don't just show up, wave, and leave-I do the walk with everybody else. This year, we're thinking of putting together a "Passions" team because Eva Tamargo Lemus and Kim Johnston Ulrich are interested. All of my friends will be there walking with me in support. It's just so nice to go out there and meet the people who are either walking in honor of someone who has passed on or someone who is battling the disease. And then there are those who are just good-hearted souls who are walking for their neighbor or the woman they don't even know who has it. I do the walk in Chicago with my mother. My whole family comes out and walks.

What does the organization mean to you on a personal level?
I'm so thrilled that they gave me this title. Since my mother is a survivor, I know exactly what it takes to survive and how difficult it is. And I know how many women are affected by breast cancer. It's hard to speak to someone who does not have some association with this disease-whether it's through a relative or a friend. It's great that City of Hope has given me this honor. Last year when I traveled around for them, they asked me to give a little speech at each event and to be inspirational. In my speech I said they had it wrong-the people who are out there walking and raising the money are my inspiration. I'm honored to do it and help out.

Your mother is a breast cancer survivor. How has that changed your life?
It's made me more aware. My mother got breast cancer later in life. For women who get it after menopause, it's not such a risk factor for their daughters. But I still take extra good care of myself. In fact, in my talk this year I will be saying that once again the organization has inspired me. I had been going out doing the walks and telling everyone to take care of themselves and I wasn't doing it myself. So, I finally went and got my first mammogram. They inspired me to take better care of my own health.

Have you received mail from people whose lives have been touched by breast cancer?
I get mail from them-really heartfelt letters. And I meet really nice people on the walks. It's very inspiring.

How do you respond?
Each person is different. You have to read each letter individually. I know when I meet people who have survived; we usually get into a conversation about what they had to go through and what my mother had to go through. Quite often, the true blessing of something really bad happening to you is it makes you appreciate how much your life is worth. That's the true bonus. And that seems to be a universal feeling.

Your mother's story is a personal one. What made you decide to bring it to the public?
It was so I could bring awareness. My mom was all for it. In fact, she'll be doing a chat with me on the Oxygen Network for City of Hope. She's thrilled because she barely knows how to use her computer!

What can people do to support City of Hope?
They can call 1-800-266-7920 or go to www.walk.coh.org They can also go to my website at www.andreaevans.org and link onto the City of Hope site. Registration is a twenty-five dollar donation. If they register online at the City of Hope site, Sutter Home Winery will add five dollars to their donation. Anyone who raises twenty-five dollars gets a free T-shirt and children twelve and under who raise fifteen dollars will also receive a commemorative shirt. Hopefully if people can't get out and walk, they can make a donation.

Would you ever like to do a social issue story surrounding breast cancer?
I'd have no problem doing that. It's never come up, because my characters are never the kind that those things happen to. But I think it's great when soaps put a little base of reality in there and give people something they can latch on to. They might see a beloved character go through what they are going through. I actually did a play a month before I joined "Passions," called "Candles." We raised money for cancer clinics for Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. It was a really well received play and we raised over a hundred thousand dollars for the clinics. We all played women with cancer in a support group.

What was that experience like?
It was very tough. It was a wonderful script and production. The hardest thing for me-and it really opened my eyes-was in the second act, my character comes back bald. The character is a beautiful woman in her thirties and her appearance has always been the first thing people notice about her. Her biggest fear with cancer was losing her hair-she didn't even look at the possibility of dying. During the intermission, it's like she decided to face her fears. Instead of losing her hair little by little, she just shaved her head. In the play, it's a very strengthening "a ha" moment. A lightbulb goes off and she becomes a stronger, better woman for it. It was interesting for me to wear the bald cap. It was truly a different kind of nudity. In some ways as a woman, you are more naked walking out bald then you are walking out with no clothes. I grew as a person having had this experience. And I actually grew to like the bald look!

Did your mom see the play?
She was thrilled. I think she stole fifty programs. I dedicated it to her.

You are involved in working for this important cause and Rebecca wouldn't be caught dead doing charity work. Do you enjoy playing someone so different from yourself?
It's fun. I've always played this kind of woman. Maybe it's a release for me-because it's so not who I am. Sure, I like to be pampered as much as the next girl...but I'm truly not like the characters I play. I think people are usually pretty shocked when they meet me.