Longtime Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is facing a grim new challenge with a recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, a battle she's poised to tackle with the determination that has defined her nearly 30 years of public service. In a somber reveal Sunday night, the 74-year-old Democrat, who has represented Houston's slice of Capitol Hill since 1995, shared her health status but vowed to continue serving her constituents, "I am currently undergoing treatment to battle this disease that impacts tens of thousand of Americans every year," she said in a statement obtained by CBS News.
Jackson Lee, not one to step back even in the wake of personal health struggles, secured her spot on the ballot after dispatching former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards in her Democratic primary; she is set to face Republican Lana Centonze come November, all while her district recovers from storm damage that she has been instrumental in addressing, and now with a more poignant fight looming not just for her city, but within her, a fight without a delineated battlefront as the Congresswoman was reticent to share the severity of her condition, a trait of the brutal disease, as per Houston Chronicle.
The storied lawmaker, who saw off breast cancer some twelve years back, is known for her resilient advocacy particularly in healthcare, her health struggles having thrust her into the role of a staunch champion for cancer research. "As a member of Congress, I've been honored to be one of the leaders in the fight for justice and equality for all; especially the disadvantaged and the dispossessed, today, my fight is more personal, but I will approach it with the same faith and the same courage," Jackson Lee said, according to a statement reported by the Houston Chronicle.
Already carving her legacy in stone, Jackson Lee, who hails from Queens, New York and served as a judge prior to her political ascendancy, stands as a staunch figure not only in Texas politics but also on the national front, her commitment to her constituents and the nation firmly entrenched despite this personal health crisis stating her resolve to be present for votes on legislation crucial for the prosperity and security of the American people, her absence from Congress will be on an occasional basis as treatment allows, ensuring her team will "continue to deliver the vital constituent services that you deserve and expect."
