[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 77 (Friday, June 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MELISSA CENTRELLA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 3, 2004

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and to remember a 
courageous young lady from my home state of New Jersey, Ms. Melissa 
Anne Centrella, the only child of Claire and August Centrella. It is 
with great sadness that I inform you that Melissa passed away two years 
ago on June 4th, 2002; she was only 25 years old.
  As a child, Melissa was like every young girl--she was cheerful, she 
loved her parents, and she greatly enjoyed dancing. However, at an 
early age, Melissa was diagnosed with a rare illness called Dystonia. 
Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by powerful and 
painful involuntary muscle spasms that cause a twisting of the body, 
repetitive muscle movements, and sustained postural deformities. 
Melissa lived with the constant pain of Dystonia for 18 years. As the 
years passed, Melissa's life became increasingly constrained. She was 
eventually confined to a wheelchair and then bedridden until she passed 
away from complications of this disorder.
  Melissa endured many medical procedures to assess and attempt to 
treat her Dystonia. She suffered through a series of spinal taps, 
intrathecal pump implantations, and preparations for deep brain 
stimulation surgery. On several occasions, Melissa was overdosed with 
medication, leading to seizures and once, to a three-day coma. Through 
all the pain, she accepted her suffering with dignity and, according to 
her family and friends, never once complained.
  Melissa believed she was put on earth for a reason, that God had a 
plan for her. That reason was to be a part of the mission to find a 
cure for Dystonia so that no one else would have to experience the 
torture that she did in her short life. Many in her position would have 
given up, but not Melissa. She was relentless in pushing her mother, 
Claire, to establish the New Jersey Chapter of the Dystonia Medical 
Research Foundation (DMRF). Whenever Claire became depressed or 
overcome with distress, Melissa would gently prod her along and remind 
her of their shared family mission. I would like to salute Claire 
Centrella and her family for making such strides against Dystonia in 
Melissa's memory. Today, the Chapter holds many events to raise funds 
for Dystonia research and to promote awareness of the disorder.
  Sadly, Melissa's body lost its battle with Dystonia; however, her 
soul continues on in her mother and with the New Jersey DMRF Chapter, 
whose goal is to improve the quality of life for people with Dystonia. 
Melissa Centrella will never be forgotten and her legacy, to find a 
cure for Dystonia, will be carried forth through the hard work and 
determination of her family and friends.

                          ____________________