Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee asks for prayers as she battles pancreatic cancer

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Monday, June 03, 2024

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, an Adventist, asked her constituents for their prayerful support Sunday night as she announced she is undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer and plans to lean on her doctors and faith to beat it.

"My adult life has been defined by my faith in God, my love for humanity and my commitment to public service. 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, 74, said in a statement. 

"My doctors have confirmed my diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. I am currently undergoing treatment to battle this disease that impacts tens of thousands of Americans every year."

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The lawmaker, who has been in office since 1995, was born to Jamaican parents in New York City. She has been a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist and attends an Adventist church in Houston.

It is unclear Monday what stage Jackson Lee's cancer is in. Data from a recent study published by Frontiers in Medicine shows that pancreatic cancer "has a poor prognosis and remains one of the most deadly types of cancer."

In 2020, for example, there were 496,773 pancreatic cancer cases, and 466,003 of those diagnoses ended in death, making it the seventh most common cause of cancer death.

"Only 5% of PC cases are diagnosed early, and thus most patients are in the locally advanced or metastatic stage. More than 90% of people with PC die from the disease due to its characteristics, which include its rapid spread and difficulty in treatment," researchers said.

In her statement Sunday, Jackson Lee insisted that "God will strengthen me." 

"I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease. The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me," she said.

Despite her diagnosis, Jackson Lee assured constituents in Texas' 18th congressional district that even when she has to be "occasionally absent from Congress" to receive treatment, her office will ensure that it will continue to serve them.

"Serving as your representative in Congress for 30 years is one of my greatest honors. Your hopes and aspirations inspire my efforts on behalf of our community every day. As I pursue my treatments, it is likely that I will be occasionally absent from Congress, but rest assured my office will continue to deliver the vital constituent services that you deserve and expect," Jackson Lee said.

"I am committed to working with our Congressional Leadership including Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Speaker of House to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people. By God's grace, I will be back at full strength soon," she added. "Please keep me and my family in your prayers as you have always done. Know that you will remain in mine. As always, God bless you and God bless the United States of America."