Pasco commissioner being treated for leukemia
Pasco County Commissioner Gary Bradford, who joined the board in November, announced on social media he is being treated for leukemia.
“Many of you have noticed my recent absences. It’s because I’ve received a diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia,” Bradford wrote in a Thursday post on Facebook. The disease, he said, “is the most common form of blood cancer in adults and it’s highly survivable, with an 85% average recovery rate.
“I’m upbeat and positive, working with Florida’s most renowned facility, H.L. Moffitt Cancer Center,” the post said. “I will be focused on my treatment and convalescing from home for the next several weeks.”
“Thank you for your support and understanding while also providing privacy for me and my family during this difficult time. Prayers for a speedy recovery are welcome,” he concluded.
Bradford won election to the commission in 2022 when he finished first in the Republican primary over incumbent Christina “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick and Shannon Witwer. There was no Democratic opponent and a write-in candidate, a friend of Bradford’s, withdrew from the race after the primary.
Bradford ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2020 to fill a vacancy after Mike Wells Jr. left the board to become Pasco property appraiser.
Bradford, 63 when he was elected, spent 25 years with the Tampa Police Department and then worked 15 years as a lobbyist for the Florida Police Benevolent Association. He campaigned as an advocate for strong public safety.
A native of Ohio, he cited his life experiences during the campaign, saying his time as a police officer and husband made him the best candidate.
Bradford said those experiences gave him the confidence and ability to make accountability decisions and accept whatever consequences those decisions might bring.
Bradford represents the west Pasco-based District 4 on the commission but was elected countywide.
