H.R. No. 1123
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. Michael J. Keating, a clinical professor and
researcher who has earned acclaim for his transformative
contributions to the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is
retiring in 2023, after nearly five decades of service at The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and
WHEREAS, During the last 30 years of his career, Dr. Keating
has dedicated himself to the study of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
(CLL) in hopes of improving survival rates and one day developing a
cure for the disease; his research has yielded groundbreaking
findings related to the use of fludarabine to treat CLL patients,
and in only a few decades, the efforts of Dr. Keating and other
researchers have revolutionized the medical community's
understanding of CLL and helped improve the complete remission rate
from this type of cancer from 5 percent to more than 50 percent; and
WHEREAS, While survival rates for CLL have greatly increased,
Dr. Keating has remained committed to the search for a cure for CLL,
which has resulted in the development of highly effective,
low-toxicity drugs that are in common use today; he established the
CLL Global Research Foundation, which to date has provided more
than $31 million to researchers all over the world who are making
significant strides in CLL research; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Keating has been recognized with numerous
accolades for his achievements, including the Service to Mankind
Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America in 1988; he
was also a recipient of the Charles A. LeMaistre Outstanding
Achievement Award in Cancer and the Rai Binet Medal in 2002 and was
honored by his peers as one of the "Giants of Cancer Care" in 2018;
along the way, he has earned the admiration of his patients for his
warmth, empathy, and optimism; and
WHEREAS, A native of Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Keating
obtained a medical degree from the University of Melbourne in 1966;
he completed medical residencies in Australia before coming to the
United States to serve as a Fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in
1974; in all his endeavors, he enjoys the support of a loving family
that includes his fiancée, Shari, his four children, and his five
grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Michael Keating's tireless dedication to his
profession has made him a champion for patients with CLL and a
driving force in CLL research, and his many accomplishments will
continue to resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Dr. Michael J. Keating on his
retirement from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Keating as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
A. Johnson of Harris
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1123 was adopted by the House on April
28, 2023, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House