Democrat Jamie Raskin reveals cancer diagnosis

The Maryland Congressman described the non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis as a “serious but curable form of cancer”

Democrat Jamie Raskin has revealed he has been diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Maryland Congressman, who played a prominent role in the January 6 House committee investigation into the Capitol riots, said in a statement it was a “serious but curable form of cancer”.

“After several days of tests, I have been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma,” Mr Raskin said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said he would continue to work in Congress while receiving chemo-immunotherapy treatment, but had been told by doctors to try to limit his exposure to Covid-19 and other viruses.

“Prognosis for most people in my situation is excellent after four months of treatment,” he said. “I plan to get through this and, in the meantime, to keep making progress every day in Congress for American democracy.”

Mr Raskin was one of nine members who served on the January 6 committee that released its final report into the 2021 insurrection earlier this month.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., left, speaks as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Associated Press)

He was also a lead manager on Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial in January 2021, and is the Democrats ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.

According to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that targets white blood cells.

It is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States, accounting for around 22 per cent of cases.

The American Cancer Society estimates that around 80,000 people will have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022, with about 20,250 fatal cases.

Among the high-profile names to have died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma are Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2018, and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy in 1994.

Actor Gene Wilder was diagnosed with the disease in the late 1990s, but survived after receiving chemotherapy and stem-cell treatment. He died in 2016 from complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Jamie Raskin is a national treasure—an oasis of legal integrity and intellect at a time when both are desperately needed in democracy’s defense.

I am praying for his strong and swift recovery as he undergoes cancer treatment. America needs you, Jamie.

— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) December 28, 2022

White House chief of staff Ron Klain was among those to offer their support for Mr Raskin.

“Wishing a fast recovery for an outstanding public servant and a long-time friend,” Mr Klain posted on Twitter.

New York Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres said Mr Raskin was a “national treasure”.

“I am praying for his strong and swift recovery as he undergoes cancer treatment. America needs you, Jamie,” Mr Torres wrote on Twitter.

Mr Raskin said he had been advised that chemotherapy treatment would cause hair loss and weight gain, but he was “still holding out hope for the kind that causes hair gain and weight loss”.