'Gratitude and love': Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin reveals his cancer is in remission
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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., revealed that he has finished chemotherapy and is embracing remission after he was diagnosed with cancer last year.
“Having now finished chemotherapy and rung the bell with my nurses and doctors, having a midterm PET scan report showing ‘negative’ for any discernible cancer cells, and having a preliminary diagnosis of being 'in remission' from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a 90% prognosis of no relapse, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and love,” Raskin shared in an open letter on Thursday.
The Democratic lawmaker thanked family, friends and supporters who have reached out with kind words, prayers and gifts ranging from bandanas to chocolate chip cookies.
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'The enduring beauty and promise of our country'
Raskin in the open letter shared that, after his final round of chemotherapy, he lacks “the energy to properly thank you all and express the enormity of my feelings about the enduring beauty and promise of our country.” But he vowed he will continue to thank well-wishers in his recovery.
The Maryland lawmaker tweeted a video of himself ringing a bell at a Washington-area hospital, a celebratory ritual for some patients who have completed chemotherapy, radiation or other treatment markers.
Tuesday I thanked nurses, doctors & pharmacists at @MedStarGUH who serve with splendid kindness—and saved my life over 5 months. I finished 6 rounds of 5-day chemo sessions—which they organized so I didn’t have to miss votes or hearings—and I rang the bell! A new chapter begins. pic.twitter.com/lAtpGyBG5b
— Jamie Raskin (@jamie_raskin) April 27, 2023
Raskin in December said he had a type of lymphoma that is a “serious but curable form of cancer.” He shared at the time that he was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and “prognosis for most people in my situation is excellent after four months of treatment.”
This is the second time Raskin has been diagnosed with cancer, previously facing colorectal cancer in 2010.
Raskin currently serves as the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. He previously served three terms on the House Judiciary Committee, and he was the lead impeachment manager when the House impeached former President Donald Trump a week after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Contributing: Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rep. Jamie Raskin gives health update, says his cancer is in remission
