Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee Won’t Be Present for House Votes After Undergoing Cancer Surgery

Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) remains in hospital and will miss out on various votes in the U.S. House of Representatives after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his tonsil, his office said in a statement on April 17.

“This afternoon, the Congressman had a surgery to remove a small cancerous tumor found in his tonsil,” Kildee’s chief of staff, Mitchell Rivard, said.

“He is expected to remain at George Washington University Hospital for the next several days as a part of the normal recovery process. Later in the week, the Congressman is expected to continue his recovery at home,” the statement added.

Kildee, 64, announced on March 31 that he had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma following a preventive scan that prompted additional tests.

At the time, the Democratic congressman said he planned to have surgery to remove the cancer, adding that the prognosis after surgery and treatment is “excellent.”

In Monday’s statement, Kildee’s chief of staff said the congressman is “thankful to have caught his cancer diagnosis early and appreciates the care of his great team of doctors.”

Kildee was first elected to Congress in 2012 and represents Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. He is co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.

Due to his surgery and the time needed to recover, Kildee will not be present for various votes in the U.S. House of Representatives but will instead submit written statements for the record to the House Clerk for any missed recorded votes “to keep his constituents updated on his positions,” his office said.

“The Congressman’s district office and Washington, D.C. office remain open and able to assist constituents,” the statement continued. “The Congressman, his wife Jennifer, and the Kildee family have been touched by all the kind notes and well wishes since his diagnosis. The Congressman thanks his constituents and colleagues in Congress for their continued support.”

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a type of skin cancer that can grow anywhere on your body and is normally triggered by DNA damage from exposure to ultraviolet radiation or other damaging agents that spark abnormal changes in the squamous cells, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

While most SCCs can typically be easily and successfully treated if they are caught early, the raised growths they cause can sometimes become disfiguring or fatal if untreated.

An estimated 1.8 million Americans are diagnosed with cases of SCC every year; with diagnoses of this type of cancer increasing by up to 200 percent in the past three decade