[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 149 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING KEN ESPOSITO

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 6, 2011

  Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
life of Ken Esposito of Bridgewater, Connecticut. Mr. Esposito passed 
away on September 30, 2011 after a year-long battle with pancreatic 
cancer. Ken put up a courageous fight with the support of his wife Ann 
and his family, including his son Eliot and his mother Catherine.
  Mr. Esposito was a lifelong advocate for the disadvantaged and those 
less fortunate. He got his start as a community organizer in Cleveland, 
Ohio--where he successfully secured millions of dollars for community 
development projects. In Connecticut, he worked with the United Church 
of Christ and with the Universal Health Care Foundation. While at the 
Universal Health Care Foundation, he played a critical role in the 
effort to pass Sustinet--the ground-breaking legislation which will 
increase access to affordable health insurance for everyone. Ken worked 
diligently for years to see this law pass because he believed that 
providing universal health care was a moral imperative. Additionally, 
Ken served as an invaluable resource for me and other members of the 
Connecticut delegation during the recent health care reform debate.
  An avid bicyclist, Mr. Esposito enjoyed biking through the bucolic 
hills of New England. His family noted recently that he was always 
proud when he could ride past younger bikers who were struggling on 
Connecticut's hills.
  Sadly, the survival rate of pancreatic cancer is incredibly low. 
According to the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer 
Institute, nearly 75 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within 
one year and nearly 95 percent succumb to the disease within 5 years. 
Ken's passing reminds us that we have an obligation to stand up for the 
most vulnerable in society and that much more work must be done to 
combat devastating diseases, such as pancreatic cancer.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in celebrating 
the life of Ken Esposito and the contributions he made to the people of 
Connecticut.

                          ____________________