[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 3, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING TONY BELL OF HARVEYVILLE, KANSAS

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                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 3, 2010

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tony 
Bell of Harveyville in the ``Big First'' Congressional District of 
Kansas. Tony has been selected as a ``Great Comebacks Recipient'' for 
the central region of the United States. He has been selected for this 
honor because of his perseverance and determination in the face of 
medical and physical challenges. Each year, the Great Comebacks program 
celebrates a group of individuals who are living with intestinal 
diseases or recovering from ostomy surgery.
  Tony is one of over 700,000 Americans who have an ostomy, a surgical 
procedure that reconstructs bowel and bladder function through the use 
of a specially fitted medical prosthesis. Many Americans suffering from 
Crohn's or ulcerative colitis rely on a certain type of ostomy to 
function on a daily basis. Just like a prosthesis, ostomies help 
restore patients' ability to participate in the normal activity of 
daily life.
  The Great Comeback Awards program raises awareness of quality-of-life 
issues for people with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal 
cancer, and other diseases that can lead to ostomy surgery. While 
ostomy surgery is a procedure that can be life saving, it is also life-
changing for these patients. The spirit and courage with which a 
patient embraces life after ostomy surgery is what the Great Comebacks 
program celebrates.
  Born with a defect of his colon, Tony Bell received an ostomy after 
birth. The ostomy was reversed a few years later, but Tony received a 
permanent colostomy at 9 years of age. Following this procedure, Tony 
was ready to saddle up and grab life by the horns and he embraced a 
bright future--one he hoped would include a career as a professional 
bull rider from Kansas. He wasted no time, mounting his first bull at 
the age of 10. As Tony trained for rodeo events, he also pursued his 
love of music. In fact, as a high school senior, he was chosen to join 
the elite Kansas Ambassadors choir on a European tour.
  While attending college on a singing scholarship, Tony entered the 
pro rodeo circuit and competed professionally for two years, even 
riding in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, known as ``Daddy of 'em 
All.'' Having achieved this childhood dream, Tony has set his sights on 
a new goal, following in his parents footsteps to become a teacher.
  Throughout his life, Tony says he drew tremendous strength from his 
parents, who taught him to be resilient and to bounce back from 
whatever life throws your way. He also credits his ``second family,'' 
Youth Rally, a summer camp for adolescents with an ostomy, for helping 
him through some rough patches in his life. He now returns to Youth 
Rally each summer as a counselor and enjoys providing support and 
encouragement to campers.
  Today, Tony is 28 and lives in Harveyville, Kansas with his wife Pam 
and six-year-old stepdaughter Haiden. He works on the family farm and 
is just a few credits shy of his special education teaching degree. 
Tony continues to channel his musical talents by performing in a 
barbershop quartet with his father. An outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys 
skydiving and noodling (fishing for catfish with your bare hands). Tony 
wants to share his story of success so that others with life-changing 
conditions know that they are not alone and can achieve their goals 
with hard work, determination, and perseverance. I commend Tony on his 
efforts and will to help others and I congratulate him on being 
selected as a Great Comebacks Recipient.

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