California House Democrat announces blood cancer diagnosis

Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) announced he was diagnosed with blood cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

Garamendi, 79, said he was diagnosed with a “treatable” form of blood cancer on Monday. He began undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Kaiser Oncology in Sacramento, California, on Monday.

“My wife Patti, a leader in the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, ensures I stay vigilant about preventative screenings and care. Freezing abnormal bumps is standard, but a call from my doctor changed everything: ‘When will you be back in California? You need to come in for a series of tests.’ Thus began my journey with early stage Multiple Myeloma, a form of treatable blood cancer,” Garamendi said in a statement.

Garamendi stated that “early detection, excellent doctors, and the love and support of Patti, our entire family, my extraordinary staff, and congressional colleagues” will allow him to “get through this” to continue serving his district and “advance American democracy.”

He also said he was “grateful our President initiated the Cancer Moonshot and that California’s efforts in stem cell research and taxing cigarettes in the 1980s for cancer research have advanced therapies benefiting not only me, but every family dealing with cancer.”

The California Democrat said his treatment will last a few months and noted he would limit travel between California and Washington, D.C., in order to minimize his exposure to COVID-19, the flu, and other viruses.

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“My thoughts and support are with families managing cancer or any health condition, and with the doctors, nurses, and medical personnel who offer comfort and hope. I am confident that the treatments will be effective, allowing me to continue serving impacted families and my constituents in Congress for years to come,” he wrote.

Garamendi has been representing areas of northern California in the House since 2009.