[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 63 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO ROBERT F. CARROLL CHAIRMAN, APLASTIC ANEMIA & MDS 
                        INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NANCY L. JOHNSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2006

  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness 
that I rise today to inform the House of the passing of Robert F. 
Carroll, a constituent of mine from Wolcott, Connecticut. I ask that 
you join me in paying tribute to this great man, who served both as the 
Chairman of the Board of the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International 
Foundation and the Assistant Executive Director for the Connecticut 
Association of Schools in Cheshire, CT.
  In April 1991, at age 57, Bob was diagnosed with myelodysplastic 
syndromes (MDS), a serious and non-contagious rare bone marrow failure 
disease. Bob was told he had MDS after having gone to his doctor for a 
routine check-up required by the school district for which he worked. 
He was given two to four years to live. He had always told his wife, 
Marie, that he would not want to know if he had a life-threatening 
disease. But courageously Bob transformed his fear of dying to a fear 
of dying without giving back. From at month in 1991 until today, Bob 
set about to make a difference for individuals and families suffering 
from bone marrow diseases.
  In early 1992, Bob and his wife were searching the Internet and came 
across the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation. He contacted 
the executive director immediately and, as a result, was given 
everything he needed to educate himself about the disease, clinical 
trials, and support networks of other patients. He soon became active 
and a member of the board. Four years later, he became President of the 
Foundation, the first patient President in the history of the 
organization. He believed in the same goals as the Foundation, which is 
to keep patients attitudes positive. He refused to let his life change 
because of his MDS. He did not retire, and instead continued with his 
career in education and the many projects that kept him active and 
busy.
  For 15 years, Bob advocated tirelessly for the tens of thousands of 
individuals diagnosed with bone marrow diseases (about 35,000 new cases 
are diagnosed annually). He also became involved in the recovery 
efforts in Sri Lanka after the devastating tsunami of 2004, traveling 
to that country and raising money in the U.S. for recovery efforts. And 
through his service with the Connecticut Association of Schools, Bob 
worked strenuously to improve the quality of education in our school 
systems.
  Bob was able to live with MDS thanks to the hundreds of transfusions 
he received over a period of 15 years. Unfortunately, though, there is 
no cure for MDS. The extreme low blood counts that are caused by MDS 
ultimately took their toll on Bob's long-term health Bob passed away 
yesterday in Connecticut.
  Bob would not want us to remember him as a victim of a rare disease, 
but rather as one who experienced a new challenge that gave greater 
purpose to his life. He often referred to MDS as his ``gift'' because 
it taught him that relationships with others are what are important in 
life. Let us honor this spirit today by paying the highest tribute to 
this great American and tireless advocate for those suffering from rare 
diseases.

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