[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 22859-22860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO DAVE GUTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dave Gutz, of 
Jefferson, Iowa who competed in the 100 yard dash and in golf at the 
2008 U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh, PA.
  Four years ago, Dave Gutz found out that his only kidney, the other 
one was damaged at birth and was later removed, was failing and he was 
immediately put on dialysis for twenty-five months. A year later, Dave 
was placed on the transplant list and it took at least another eighteen 
months before a kidney was available. Last September he received the 
gift of life--the kidney he needed to survive.

[[Page 22860]]

  Hosted by the National Kidney Foundation, the Transplant Games are an 
Olympic-style event for athletes who have received lifesaving organ 
transplants. It provides the athletes an opportunity to celebrate that 
they survived and flourished. The Games have twelve different events 
and the athletes have the opportunity to win either a gold, silver, and 
bronze medal.
  Dave Gutz's courage and perseverance is an inspiration to all of us. 
I am honored to represent Dave Gutz in the United States Congress and I 
know that my colleagues join me in congratulating him and wish him 
success in the future.

                          ____________________