Former President Jimmy Carter Has Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, HealthDay News — Former President Jimmy Carter announced Wednesday that he has cancer.
Carter, 90, said he learned only recently of his condition. In a statement released by The Carter Center, he said that, “Recent liver surgery revealed that I have cancer that now is in other parts of my body. I will be rearranging my schedule as necessary so I can undergo treatment by physicians at Emory Healthcare [in Atlanta]. A more complete public statement will be made when facts are known, possibly next week.”
The Carter Center had sent out a statement on Aug. 3 noting that Carter, who was president from 1977-1981, “underwent an elective procedure at Emory University Hospital today to remove a small mass in his liver.”
At the time, the statement said that Carter’s “operation proceeded without issues, and the prognosis is excellent for a full recovery.”
According to The New York Times, there have been questions surrounding Carter’s health for a few months. On May 10, he left early from a trip to Guyana because he felt unwell, the Times reported.
In a statement, President Barack Obama said that, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Rosalynn [Carter’s wife] and the entire Carter family as they face this challenge with the same grace and determination that they have shown so many times before. Jimmy, you’re as resilient as they come, and along with the rest of America, we are rooting for you.”
More information
There’s more on cancer at the American Cancer Society.