Rep. John Lewis to undergo treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said on Sunday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and will undergo treatment soon.

“I have been in some kind of fight – for freedom, equality, basic human rights – for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now,” the 79-year-old congressman said in a statement detailing his prognosis on Sunday afternoon.

“This month in a routine medical visit, and subsequent tests, doctors discovered Stage IV pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis has been reconfirmed,” he continued.

He said that while he is “clear-eyed” about the prognosis, doctors have told him that recent medical advances have made the type of cancer he has been diagnosed with “treatable in many cases” and added that he has “a fighting chance.”

“So I have decided to do what I know to do and do what I have always done: I am going to fight it and keep fighting for the Beloved Community,” Lewis said. “We still have many bridges to cross.”

The Georgia Democrat added that he plans to return to return to Washington in the coming days to continue his work in Congress and also begin a treatment plan, which he added “will occur over the next several weeks.”

“I may miss a few votes during this period, but with God’s grace I will be back on the front lines soon,” he said.

The news comes months after the veteran lawmaker celebrated his 79th birthday. At the time, top Democrats and many on social media heaped praise on the congressman for his long history of social activism.

Prior to first being elected to Congress in 1986, Lewis rose to national prominence as a civil rights leader for his work as a freedom fighter and famously marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the March on Washington in 1963.

Democrats running for president were among lawmakers to share messages of support and encouragement for the civil rights icon, recognizing him as a hero and fighter, in tweets shortly after Lewis’s Sunday announcement. 

I’m saddened to learn of @repjohnlewis’s cancer diagnosis.

He’s an American hero and an civil rights icon who will no doubt continue to fight for peace and justice, even as he fights this disease. https://t.co/D5rZKwDzyg

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) December 29, 2019

John Lewis is a living example of strength that America needs now more than ever. We will be pulling for him and praying for him and his family as he battles cancer with his characteristic grace and courage.

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) December 29, 2019

Oh no. You can fight this and win @repjohnlewis like you have fought so many times before. Thinking of you and your family. https://t.co/sD11TJrtQG

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) December 29, 2019

My friend John Lewis is a a hero to millions, an extraordinary American and a deeply good man. April and I will pray for his full and speedy recovery. One of the great privileges of my life was serving with him in the Congress. He will overcome this like he has everything else.

— John Delaney (@JohnDelaney) December 29, 2019

If there is one person who embodies what it means to be a fighter — it’s John Lewis.

I know he will battle this diagnosis with the same strength and courage he has carried himself with over the course of his life. John, Abigail and I are praying for you and your family. https://t.co/I6gSy2ZUso

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) December 29, 2019

We pray for our hero. pic.twitter.com/nO66hAcCbw

— Deval Patrick (@DevalPatrick) December 29, 2019

My heart is with Rep. John Lewis and his family. He’s always been a fighter, and I know he’ll continue making good trouble. Stay strong, John. https://t.co/2ffoL3KPx8

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 29, 2019

John Lewis is one of the strongest people I know. He already beat Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan—cancer is next. Please join me in lifting him and his family in prayer. https://t.co/vuGnFwdnlV

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 29, 2019