[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2] [Senate] [Pages 1996-1997] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ______ TRIBUTE TO TONY BELL Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Tony Bell of Harveyville, KS. Tony has been selected as a 2009 Great Comebacks Recipient for the Central Region. This very important program annually honors a group of individuals who are living with intestinal diseases or recovering from ostomy surgery. [[Page 1997]] The Great Comeback Award celebrates the lives of people with painful and debilitating diseases like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer and other diseases that can lead to ostomy surgery. Tony is one of over 700,000 Americans, from young children to senior citizens, who have an ostomy, a surgical procedure that reconstructs bowel and bladder function through the use of a specially fitted medical prosthesis. Ostomy surgery is a life-altering and sometimes life-saving procedure which both addresses a medical issue and improves a patient's quality of life. Hundreds of thousands of those 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. Recipients are patients who live full and productive lives with their ostomies. Born with a defect of his colon, Tony Bell received an ostomy immediately after birth. A few years later, the ostomy was reversed, but after years of struggling with incontinence, 9-year-old Tony received a permanent colostomy. All of a sudden, this inactive, withdrawn boy who was scared to leave his home was ready to saddle up and grab life by the horns. In control of his body--and his life--at last, an empowered Tony embraced a bright future--one he hoped would include a career as a professional bull rider. 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 went pro on the rodeo circuit and competed professionally for 2 years, even riding in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, known as ``The Daddy of Them All.'' Having achieved this childhood dream, Tony has set his sights on a new goal, following in his parents' footsteps to become a teacher. Through it all, Tony says he drew tremendous strength from his parents, who taught him to be resilient and to bounce back from whatever life threw his 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 each summer as a counselor and enjoys ``paying it forward'' by providing support and encouragement to campers. Today, Tony, 28, lives in Harveyville, KS, with his wife Pam and 6- year-old stepdaughter Haiden. He works on the family farm and is only a few credits shy of his special education teaching degree. Although Tony didn't end up a country music star, he channels his passion and performs in a barbershop quartet with his dad. An outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys skydiving and noodling--fishing for catfish with your bare hands. ``I want to share with the world my story of success so that others with life-changing conditions know that they are not alone,'' said Tony. ``No matter what comes your way, always reach for the stars and grasp your dreams--they are only a bull ride away.'' I urge my colleagues to take the time to meet with Tony and some of the other Great Comebacks Regional Award Recipients. Their personal stories are inspirational and will raise your awareness about some of the Great Comebacks being made by people living with intestinal diseases or recovering from ostomy surgery. ____________________