093_HR0475

 
                                     LRB093 13288 HSS 18607 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the  State  of Illinois wish to honor Attorney Bruce Mitchell
 4    of Marion as a true profile in courage; and

 5        WHEREAS,  Mr.  Mitchell  was  diagnosed  with  liver  and
 6    pancreatic cancer on January 4, 1998, and was  given  only  6
 7    weeks to live; and

 8        WHEREAS, In the spring of 1998, Dr. Harvey Solomon of St.
 9    Louis  University  performed Whipple Surgery on Mr. Mitchell;
10    Dr. Solomon removed part of Mr. Mitchell's  pancreas,  liver,
11    and  stomach,  and  his  entire gallbladder; success for such
12    surgeries is not great; statistics show  that  less  than  10
13    percent  of  the patients that have Whipple Surgery live more
14    than 9 months; and

15        WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell  did  not  concede;  after  several
16    rounds   of   chemotherapy   and   various  experimental  and
17    near-death  procedures,   including   liver   resection,   he
18    continued to hold on; and

19        WHEREAS,  Mr.  Mitchell  underwent  a liver transplant in
20    June of 2003, and the operation was a success; at this  time,
21    Mr.  Mitchell  is cancer-free and on the road to recovery and
22    is an inspiration to us all; and

23        WHEREAS,  Bruce  Mitchell,   despite   his   debilitating
24    condition,  has  continued  to  practice law with his father,
25    J.C. Mitchell; and

26        WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell's wife, Linda,  and  his  daughter,
27    Erin  Brubacker,  have  been  on  the  front  line of his war
28    against cancer and are deserving of recognition as well; and

29        WHEREAS, Despite all odds and  in  the  face  of  gravest
30    circumstances,  Bruce  Mitchell has refused to accept defeat,
 
                            -2-      LRB093 13288 HSS 18607 r
 1    has lived each day in an inspirational manner, and has  waged
 2    war against cancer with dignity and courage; therefore, be it

 3        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
 4    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
 5    we  recognize  Attorney  Bruce  Mitchell as a living miracle;
 6    further, we honor Bruce Mitchell as a profile in courage  and
 7    as  an  example  of determination and perseverance, and as an
 8    inspiration to us all; and be it further

 9        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
10    presented  to Attorney Bruce Mitchell as an expression of our
11    respect and  esteem  and  with  wishes  of  good  health  and
12    happiness in the years to come.