[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1524-E1525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO THE LATE RICHARD A. BLOCH
______
HON. DENNIS MOORE
of kansas
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note the passing of Richard
A. Bloch, of Kansas City, Missouri, who was a co-founder of H&R Block,
Inc., and a passionate crusader for cancer patients.
In 1955, Richard Bloch and his brother, Henry, relaunched a small
family-owned bookkeeping service as H&R Block, focusing on income tax
preparation. Richard Bloch was a primary force behind the company's
rapid expansion in the two decades thereafter.
[[Page E1525]]
Diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and told he had 3 months to live
in the late 1970s, he was declared cured after 2 years of aggressive
therapy. After that, Richard Bloch dedicated the rest of his life to
helping others fight cancer. He and his wife, Annette, founded the R.A.
Bloch Cancer Management Center and the R.A. Bloch Cancer Support Center
at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, which became models for
more than 100 similar organizations nationwide. As he once said, ``Our
sole goal is to try to get people to fight. If they fight, they have a
chance to win.''
Another of his signature achievements was creating the Physicians
Data Query, a computer program now used by the National Cancer
Institute that provides treatment for all forms of cancer. To honor
Bloch, the Federal Government named the Bethesda, Maryland, building
that is housing the program as the R.A. Bloch International Cancer
Information Center.
Born on February 15, 1926, in Kansas City, Missouri, he is survived
by Annette, his wife of 58 years, their four children, and fourteen
grandchildren. Earlier, I had introduced House Resolution 376, which
expresses the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the
Bloch Cancer Foundation; its text aptly summarizes the many public
contributions made by Richard Bloch, and I include it here:
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with
respect to the Bloch Cancer Foundation.
Whereas Richard and Annette Bloch are founders of the Bloch
Cancer Foundation, established in 1980;
Whereas Richard and Annette have gifted to the University
of Missouri-Kansas City the Bloch Support Center, a center
which reaches out to cancer-stricken patients, their
supporters, and caregivers, through education, counseling,
and research designed to achieve the highest quality of life
while living with cancer, and, in addition, offers
professional education opportunities for students to receive
training and research skills that deal with the psychological
aspects of cancer;
Whereas Richard Bloch, along with the National Cancer
Institute, implemented a computer program called PDQ
(`Physicians Data Query') that gathers information from every
cancer center in the United States and 22 foreign countries
and gives the state of the art treatment for every type and
stage of cancer in addition to all available experimental
therapies;
Whereas Richard and Annette Bloch authored three books:
`Cancer . . . There's Hope' about Richard's battle with his
`terminal' lung cancer; `Fighting Cancer', a step-by-step
guide showing cancer patients how to fight the disease; and
`Guide for Cancer Supporters', geared exclusively to
supporters of cancer patients;
Whereas Cancer Survivor Parks have been established to help
cancer survivors, to be a tribute to these survivors, and to
be a celebration of life in Kansas City, Missouri; Houston,
Texas; Dallas, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio;
Indianapolis, Indiana; Rancho Mirage, California; New
Orleans, Louisiana; Santa Rosa, California; Jacksonville,
Florida; Bakersfield, California; Phoenix, Arizona;
Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois and Omaha, Nebraska;
Whereas Dick and Annette's foundation has gathered a wide
variety of volunteers including doctors sharing their time,
computer specialists creating informative and helpful web
sites, home volunteers making calls to offer guidance and
hope to new patients, and in-house volunteers answering phone
calls, e-mails, and being there when called upon;
Whereas Richard and Annette Bloch in 1980 founded the Bloch
Cancer Hot Line, an organization composed of more than 500
cancer survivors that has fielded over 125,000 calls in the
last 20 years, which on June 4, 2003, celebrated its 23rd
anniversary of giving hope, support, and information to those
who call;
Whereas June 4, 2003, also marked the 18th anniversary of
the first Cancer Survivor Day Rally, held originally in
Kansas City, Missouri, and now held in over 700 communities
throughout the United States; and
Whereas the Cancer Survivor Day Rally glorifies the
attitude that cancer and death are not synonymous and that a
cancer diagnosis does not represent a decrease in the quality
of life: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives commends
Richard and Annette Bloch and the Bloch Cancer Foundation and
their network of invaluable volunteers on behalf of 8,400,000
Americans living with cancer.
Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article
surveying Richard Bloch's life and accomplishments that appeared in
today's Kansas City Star:
A Success in Business--and at Helping Others
(By Gene Meyer)
Richard Bloch, a passionate crusader for cancer patients
and co-founder of the world's largest tax preparation
company, H&R Block Inc., died of heart failure Wednesday
morning at his home.
He was 78.
Bloch and his brother, Henry, relaunched a small family
bookkeeping service in 1955 as H&R Block, specializing in
what then was the newly emerging field of income tax
preparation.
Although Henry Bloch may be more widely associated with the
company because of the advertising campaigns in which he
appeared, Richard Bloch is credited as a driving force in the
company's rapid expansion in the 1960s and later.
``Dick was a true entrepreneur, and his energy and talents
helped create the path that makes H&R Block the professional
and accessible company it is today,'' said Mark Ernst, the
company's current chairman and chief executive.
``His personal integrity and commitment to helping people
remain an important part of our company's culture,'' Ernst
said.
In addition to his business accomplishments, Richard Bloch
in his later years touched tens of thousands more lives
through his courageous personal battles with cancer, and his
tireless advocacy for cancer patients.
Bloch was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 1978, and
was told he had three months to live. But he fought the
disease and was declared cured after two years of aggressive
therapy. He was diagnosed in 1989 with colon cancer, which he
also fought aggressively and survived.
Bloch always attributed his successful fight to the support
of his family, finding the right skilled medical help and
keeping a positive attitude.
``Our sole goal is to try to get people to fight,'' he said
in a story last year commemorating his 25 years of helping
other cancer survivors. ``If they fight, they have a chance
to win.''
Bloch returned briefly to Block as chairman after fighting
his lung cancer, but sold his interest in the enterprise in
1982 to become a full-time crusader for cancer patients
everywhere.
Henry Bloch could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A
spokesman said he was occupied with funeral arrangements.
Richard Bloch and his wife, Annette, who survives him,
founded one of the first cancer hot lines in the U.S. in
1980, which has since logged more than 125,000 calls from
newly diagnosed cancer patients. The Blochs also founded the
R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation Inc., plus the R.A. Bloch Cancer
Management Center and the R.A. Bloch Cancer Support Center at
the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The centers have become models for a national network of
more than 100 similar organizations across the United States
that provide medical, moral and other support for cancer
patients and their families.
``He was always one of our best volunteers,'' said Vangie
Rich, administrator of the cancer support center.
``He never hesitated to share his home phone number with
anyone who wanted to talk about cancer,'' Rich said.
Bloch also conceived the Physician Data Query, a computer
program at the National Cancer Institute that provides the
latest treatment options for all types of cancers. He started
an annual Fighting Cancer Rally now held in several U.S.
cities on the second Sunday of each June. He financed the
Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors' Park in Kansas
City. And he wrote several books supporting cancer education,
awareness and support for survivors.
He served on the advisory board of the National Cancer
Institute and was a member of the Institute of Medicine and
the President's Circle of the National Academy of Sciences.
Late in life, he pushed for laws making second opinions
mandatory for patients diagnosed with cancer.
``He definitely will be missed,'' said Anne Mueller of
Mission, whose husband, David, has survived four kinds of
cancer since 1978 and has worked with Bloch as a hot line
volunteer.
``He's been an inspiration to David and many others,'' Anne
Mueller said. ``Now we look at it as cancer with a small c,
not cancer with a big C.''
Bloch was born Feb. 15, 1926, in Kansas City. He attended
Bryant Elementary School, Southwest High School and the
Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania.
Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday at
Louis Memorial Chapel, 6830 Troost Ave.
The R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, at 4400 Main St. in
Kansas City, can be reached online at www.blochcancer.or or
by calling 1-(800) 433-0464.
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