Texas representative says treatment may require her to be ‘occasionally absent’ from Capitol Hill
GUARDIAN
Democratic US congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee revealed that she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and said her treatment may require her to be “occasionally absent” from Capitol Hill.
In a prepared statement published on X on Sunday that alluded to her Christian religious beliefs, the 74-year-old Texas representative acknowledged that “the road ahead will not be easy” yet added: “I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”
Pancreatic cancer is often fatal, but Jackson Lee – whose mainly liberal district encompasses a part of Houston – did not delve into the specifics of her prognosis.
Her statement said she was “undergoing treatment to battle this disease that [affects] tens of thousands of Americans every year”. And it also said: “I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease.
“Please keep me and my family in your prayers as you have always done. Know that you will remain in mine.”
