Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said this week that he had been given a preliminary diagnosis of “in remission” four months after being diagnosed with diffuse large-B cell lymphoma. The fourth-term congressman told the Baltimore Sun that he’d completed his final round of chemotherapy on Tuesday and had been allowed to “ring the bell,” referring to the common oncology unit ritual. After announcing his diagnosis of a “serious but curable form of cancer” last December, Raskin continued to work on Capitol Hill during his treatment. “I didn’t have to miss any votes,” he told the Sun. He also began sporting distinctive bandannas in a nod to his idol Steve Van Zandt, one of many people who publicly expressed their support for Raskin earlier this year. In a letter released by his office on Thursday, Raskin explained he had a “90% prognosis of no relapse,” and that he was “overwhelmed with gratitude and love.”
Tuesday I thanked nurses, doctors & pharmacists at @MedStarGUH who serve with splendid kindness—and saved my life over 5 months. I finished 6 rounds of 5-day chemo sessions—which they organized so I didn’t have to miss votes or hearings—and I rang the bell! A new chapter begins. pic.twitter.com/lAtpGyBG5b
