[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 84 (Thursday, June 13, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H3362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          A CHALLENGE FOR THE FRIENDS OF BRETT BAXLEY GOSNELL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, in this country there are children 
diagnosed with rare diseases every day. While it's a tragedy that 
anyone is diagnosed with a disease or cancer in this country, it is a 
particular tragedy that the youngest in our society are diagnosed with 
oftentimes incurable diseases and ailments.
  So today, I rise to support the Kids First Research Act, because it's 
important that we focus our national resources on fixing these 
problems, these challenges that as a society we can band together and 
put research dollars where our heart is. We all do this in individual 
ways, whether it's donating to a local charity or focusing our interest 
on making sure Congress allocates resources necessary to come up with 
lifesaving cures through the National Institutes of Health or other 
areas of government research.
  At home, we have something called ``Brett's Ride for Rhabdo.'' It's 
an incredible story of a young man at age 17 who is diagnosed with 
Rhabdomyosarcoma. It's a very rare pediatric cancer that roughly 300 
children are diagnosed with each year. It's very rare. This incredible 
young man named Brett Gosnell was diagnosed at age 17 with this cancer.
  Brett was an all-American kid from Hickory. Maryann and Mark Gosnell 
were his parents. He has two younger brothers. Just a great all-
American family. I'm pleased to know the family, and I was pleased to 
know Brett.
  Brett was an all-star kid, the kind of young man that I hope to have 
as my wife and I start a family. But Brett was a very special guy. He 
was not pleased with his SAT score--his math SAT score. He got a 740 on 
the math portion of the SAT. So after a round of chemotherapy he retook 
the SAT and he scored a perfect 800 on the math portion. Incredible 
young man.
  So what his parents did was come together--and his family--at Brett's 
urging to come up with a charity bike ride that hundreds of people 
participate in every October in Hickory, North Carolina. Even folks 
like me that aren't great bike riders or particularly athletic 
participate in Brett's honor. Each year they are able to raise tens of 
thousands of dollars for Rhabdo research.
  I tell the story because it's very important. Brett's story is a very 
important one, and inspiring to so many of us. Brett was diagnosed 
early and still insisted on going off to college at the University of 
Virginia. He did lose his fight to Rhabdo in 2006.

  Brett left a letter for us that we read every October at Brett's Ride 
for Rhabdo. He left this letter that he dictated to a friend of his. He 
calls it: ``A Challenge for the Friends of Brett Baxley Gosnell.'' He 
says:

       I am not here physically, but I am looking down from Heaven 
     on this assembled group. I challenge you to adopt a new goal, 
     a new way of life for yourself. Put helping, caring about, 
     and serving others at the center of all that you do--not just 
     for today or tomorrow but for the remainder of your life. I 
     ask you to look for ways in which to make a difference in the 
     lives of others, regardless of who they are or where you find 
     them. They are God's children and they need us. We must turn 
     away from thinking only of ourselves and remember that each 
     one of us has a capacity for doing something. Discover what 
     you can do--and do it. I ask you to do that. But there is 
     something else. In the act of helping others, think of this. 
     It was my desire to make a difference, and I tried to do that 
     in the opportunities that were given to me. There was so much 
     more that I wanted to do, but I will keep my eye on you from 
     Heaven. Now you can pick up where I left off and serve so 
     many others. Hear this plea and respond to it. This is your 
     friend who asks you to accept this challenge. Do something 
     meaningful with your life. After all, that is how you can 
     most honor me in my life.
       Brett.

  I bring this to the House floor to urge my colleagues to ensure that 
we support important pediatric research so that we don't have to lose 
another Brett Gosnell.

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