The Associated Press is reporting that Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter has had a recurrence of cancer.
WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's cancer has returned. The five-term Republican said in a statement released by his office Tuesday that he was diagnosed with an early recurrence of Hodgkin's disease, which is a cancer of the lymph system.
The statement released by his office said tests showed cancer in lymph nodes in his chest. A follow-up biopsy of one of the chest lymph nodes was positive for recurrence.
Specter's oncologist, John H. Glick of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, said in the statement released by the senator's office that Specter has an excellent chance of fighting the disease. The early diagnosis of his recurrent Hodgkin's disease has a five-year survival rate of 60 percent, the doctor said.
Still seems like very serious business.
A quote from Specter's book "Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate"
"An illness like Hodgkin's serves as a reminder that we have a limited time — and how our time can end when we least expect it," Specter wrote. "Moreover, the event of death could never eclipse what is most important, which is how we spend the time we have."
As much as we disagree with your conservative views Senator, on this point I could not have said it any better. We wish you the very best in your struggle against this vicious disease. Get well soon.
Update: Nice that a diary such as this can be recommended in good faith by our side. Shows the difference between us and them - ie. when it comes to illness and humanity - there is no us and them.