[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5368-S5369]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO KENT WELLS

  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a special tribute 
to Kent Wells, a Kansan and longtime friend, who has turned his own 
battle with multiple myeloma into a fight for continued research to 
benefit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, MMRF.
  Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of the plasma cell. It is the 
second most common blood cancer. There are approximately 50,000 people 
in the United States living with multiple myeloma and an estimated 
15,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed each year.
  The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, which was established in 
1998 as a nonprofit organization, has a unique mission to urgently and 
aggressively invest in research that will result in the development of 
effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
  Today, MMRF has raised over $100 million to support the world's most 
cutting-edge myeloma research. The foundation is widely recognized as 
the driving force behind progress made against the disease and one of 
the Nation's most groundbreaking cancer research organizations.
  When Kent received his diagnosis in 2007, he began working with the 
foundation, personally benefiting from the research and the clinical 
drugs that have been established. But he understands all too well that 
much more must be done, and Kent has chosen to fight for his own health 
and for the health of others by further supporting the work of MMFR.
  This week, on Kent's behalf, dozens of his friends and colleagues are 
sponsoring an event that will raise money for the Multiple Myeloma 
Research Foundation so that it can continue the efforts to develop the 
necessary research to conquer this disease.
  It should come as no surprise to Kent that his friends and colleagues 
from all walks of life have come together to share this fight with him 
and his wife Debbie and their sons, Trevor and Bryan.
  I first met Kent in 1975. Kent was a young man from Garden City, KS, 
interning in Washington for my predecessor, Congressman Keith Sebelius. 
I was the Congressman's chief of staff at that time.
  I would like to take a little credit for giving Kent his start in 
public service, hiring him for that internship. ``Potomac Fever'' must 
have bit Kent because after he finished law school at George Washington 
University, he became a legislative assistant for Senator Nancy 
Kassebaum. And our friendship continued.
  Yes, I admit to omitting one small part of his biography here. Kent 
did receive his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas in 
Lawrence. He is a proud Jayhawk, something that he never lets this 
Wildcat forget.
  Truth be told, I think that Kent would have chosen Jayhawk basketball 
over Washington internships, but he didn't make the team. Kent, I never 
told you that we would have welcomed you with open arms to the K-State 
team. Instead, Kent had to settle for pickup games in Washington when 
he came to work for Senator Kassebaum.
  One of the genuinely nice things about working in Washington is that 
staff for the Kansas delegation get to know one another and actually 
become family--not on every occasion or in every instance--but often in 
sharing a common experience.
  I could get into quite a laundry list of mutual experiences I have 
enjoyed with Kent, his brother Kim, and the Wells family, great 
supporters and friends. Not to embarrass Kent, but with his smile and 
personality he could brighten up any room regardless of the occasion. 
Kent Wells is just one of those people you like to be around, and that 
genuine personality plus a lot of talent has served him, and those he 
has worked for, well.
  That is, of course, with the exception of the pickup basketball games 
I mentioned before. It was at a local gym that the Dole, Kassebaum, 
Roberts staffers and other hangers-on would play Saturday mornings.
  My role, given my athletic career had sunset years previous, was to 
pass the ball to the players like Kent and set blind-side picks. Kent 
is a slasher but really prefers an outside set shot. Somehow, we ended 
up on opposing teams.
  My team would be composed of big Bill Taggart, who simply walked 
around the gym for exercise and would occasionally kick the out of 
bounds ball back; Rich, ``The Mule'' Armitage--enough said; a couple of 
pickup players who simply ran with the ball as fast as they could.
  Kent and Randy Miller, another staffer and good basketball player, 
had their own handpicked team that, for the most part, scored at will 
with absolutely no respect for an elder Member of Congress except to 
call fouls.
  The trash talk would go something like:
  ``All he does is foul people, stay at one end of the court and try 
that old flat hook shot.''
  ``I know, but we have to have five people, just stay out of his way 
or if we get him, tell him to pass you the ball.''
  You would think one would expect a little more respect, especially 
since I would bring my young son David to shoot baskets on another 
court. But not these guys. The Jayhawk crimson and blue was running in 
their veins and they pretty much ran me off the court. But I did set 
some hellish blind side picks, hit 1 out of every 10 flat hook shots, 
and had great times that are wonderful memories.
  Kent's career goes well beyond Capitol Hill. Today he is a successful 
telecommunications executive, but one of his joys is that he has passed 
the love of KU basketball to Trevor and Bryan, both of whom proudly 
sport KU attire on campus at USC and Wisconsin.
  Now we have come full circle with the Wells family. Thanks to his 
Dad's passion for public service, Bryan Wells begins an internship with 
my office this summer. He is clearly a chip off the old block.
  I stand today with all of the Wells family and friends in support of 
Kent's efforts to promote increased awareness and research for the 
Multiple Myeloma Foundation. He and others facing this disease are not 
alone.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity 
and discuss a former resident of my home State of Kansas and a disease 
that is affecting millions of Americans and honor him today on a 
special occasion that is occurring to benefit the Multiple Myeloma 
Research Foundation.
  Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of the plasma cell. It is the 
second most common blood cancer. There are approximately 50,000 people 
in the United States living with multiple myeloma and an estimated 
15,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed each year. The 5-year 
survival rate for multiple myeloma remains only 32 percent.
  Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, MMRF, was established in 1998 
as a nonprofit organization with a unique mission to urgently and 
aggressively invest in research that would result in the development of 
effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Today, MMRF has raised 
over $100 million to support the world's most cutting-edge myeloma 
research. The MMRF is widely recognized as the driving force behind 
progress made against the disease and one of the Nation's most 
groundbreaking cancer research organizations.
  Guided by an innovative scientific plan, the MMRF supports one of the 
world's most strategic and aggressive research drug and development 
portfolios. This diverse portfolio is comprised of cutting-edge 
programs in three paths--basic science, validation, and clinical 
trials--that represent the MMRF's research strategy. Taken together, 
these research programs will accelerate the pace of scientific 
discovery, rapidly transform scientific progress into lifesaving 
treatments, and ultimately lead to a faster cure for multiple myeloma.
  I ask Congress to continue to look at ways that we can assist the 
research and health communities to fight this disease and help treat 
myeloma patients.
  I would like to take a few minutes and tell you about a special 
Kansan

[[Page S5369]]

whom I know quite well and who is currently battling multiple myeloma.
  Kent Wells was born and raised in Garden City, KS. Kent's first job 
was working at the radio station in Garden City. His family moved to 
Washington, DC, in 1970 while Kent was in high school because his dad 
was appointed as an FCC Commissioner. Kent attended Jeb Stuart High 
School for 1\1/2\ years before returning to Garden City to complete his 
senior year and graduate with his class.
  Kent attended college at the University of Kansas from 1972 to 1976, 
interning for Representative Keith Sebelius in 1975, who at the time 
was the chief of staff of my current Senate colleague from Kansas, Pat 
Roberts. Kent attended law school at George Washington University from 
1976 to 1979. Kent's first job after law school was as a legislative 
assistant to former Senator Nancy Kassebaum from Kansas from 1979 to 
1982.
  Kent then went to work for Southwestern Bell in 1985, shortly after 
divestiture and the opening of the Washington offices for the Baby 
Bells. He moved to the Cingular office in February 2001 and back to 
AT&T in January 2007.
  Kent has kept close ties to Kansas through his love of sports. He 
follows the Kansas City Chiefs and the Royals closely, but as anyone 
who knows him will tell you, he is crazy about Kansas basketball and 
rarely misses a Jayhawks' game. One of his joys is that he has passed 
the love of KU basketball to his two boys, Trevor and Bryan, both of 
whom proudly sport KU attire on campus at USC and Wisconsin. Kent's 
parents moved from Garden City to Lawrence several years ago, which 
gives him lots of chances to visit Lawrence and Allen Field House just 
to get another look at that championship trophy. He also is always for 
a trip to Hutchinson, KS, to play golf at Prairie Dunes Golf Club.
  Kent was diagnosed in 2007 with multiple myeloma and has been 
benefited from the work of MMRF in the research and the clinical drugs 
that have been established. But as Kent and thousands of other 
Americans face this disease, there is more work to do.
  Colleagues of Kent's and his wonderful wife Debbie are sponsoring an 
upcoming event on May 13, 2009, that will raise money for Multiple 
Myeloma Research Foundation and continue the efforts to develop the 
necessary research to fight this disease.

                          ____________________