Rep. John Lewis fights pancreatic cancer.
Expressions of support poured in from political leaders, celebrities and everyday Americans after U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a hero of the civil rights movement, announced Sunday he is undergoing treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
The cancer was discovered during a routine checkup earlier this month, Lewis said in a statement.
“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,” Lewis said.
Two former presidents took to Twitter to share their faith that Lewis is up for that fight.
“If there’s one thing I love about @RepJohnLewis, it’s his incomparable will to fight,” Barack Obama said. “I know he’s got a lot more of that left in him. Praying for you, my friend.”
“If there’s anyone with the strength and courage to fight this, it’s you, John,” Bill Clinton said. “Hillary and I love you, and we join with millions of other Americans in praying for you and your family.”
Lewis said he has arranged for treatment.
“I will return to Washington in coming days to continue our work and begin my treatment plan, which will occur over the next several weeks,” said Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who has served in the House of Representatives since 1987.
“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 five-year survival rate for people with stage 4 pancreatic cancer is about 3%, according to the American Cancer Society.
But the society said the outlook depends on the individual, and that how cancer responds to treatment depends on a number of variables.
Also, because the data looks at fiveyear rates, it is based on people treated for pancreatic cancer from 2008-2014. There have been advances in treatment options since then, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
“While I am clear-eyed about the prognosis, doctors have told me that recent medical advances have made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, that treatment options are no longer as debilitating as they once were, and that I have a fighting chance,” Lewis said.
Lewis was a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960s who fought Jim Crows and discrimination. He was one of the original Freedom Riders and a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which organized sit-ins at segregated establishments and ran voter registration drives.
He was a national figure by his early 20s and became the youngest of the Big Six civil rights leaders. At 23, helped organize the March on Washington in 1963
In Congress, Lewis is best known for his work on voting rights. He has long fought for more access to the polls, particularly for voters of color. Earlier this month, the House passed a voting rights bill Lewis championed.