Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Former Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she announced on social media on Sunday, noting that she expects to be “absent from Congress from time to time during his treatment.”
“My doctors have confirmed my diagnosis of pancreatic cancer,” Jackson Lee wrote in a letter shared on X. “I am currently undergoing treatment to combat this disease that affects tens of thousands of Americans every year.”
Jackson Lee, 74, has represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District since 1995. Throughout her career, she has supported legislation on issues including police reform, sentencing laws, safe gun storage, and hate crimes motivated by white supremacy.
She also sponsored legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021. That same year, she was arrested during nonviolent protests in support of voting rights protections.
Last year, Jackson Lee announced her bid for a 16th term in the House of Representatives after a failed bid to become Houston’s first black female mayor.
She won the Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday earlier this year.
“As a member of Congress, I am honored to be one of the leaders in the fight for justice and equality for all,” Jackson Lee wrote on Sunday. “Today my fight is more personal, but I will approach it with the same faith and courage.”
Pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3 percent of all cancers in the United States, with about 66,440 people expected to be diagnosed this year, according to the American Cancer Society.
The disease is known to be aggressive and often shows no symptoms in the early stages.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include jaundice, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and pain in the back or abdomen.
It can also cause blood clots, diabetes, and an enlarged gallbladder or liver.
Jackson Lee did not specify the type or severity of his cancer, but expressed confidence in his medical team’s treatment plan.
“The road ahead will not be easy, but I have faith that God will strengthen me,” she said.
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