Greene and Raskin exchange well wishes after cancer diagnosis

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) sent her well wishes to Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin (D) after his cancer diagnosis.
• Greene sent him her prayers, and Raskin thanked her for the “touching message.”
• The warm exchange was a noticeable shift from their usual clashes on the House floor.

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) set aside their differences to exchange well wishes after Raskin’s announcement of his cancer diagnosis.

The Georgia congresswoman shared a Fox News article on Raskin’s announcement and sent him her prayers.

Greene wrote, “We disagree often, but I’ll be praying for Jamie Raskin. Cancer is a terrible disease. I watched my father die from it, and it broke my heart. It’s good Rep Raskin has hope and his form of cancer is curable with the treatment he will be starting.”

Raskin thanked Greene for the “touching message.” He added, “I’m grateful for your concern and very sorry to learn that you lost your father to cancer.” He also wished her and her loved ones happy holidays.

The exchange seemed like an uncharacteristically warm but welcome change for the two House members who frequently clashed publicly as they took partisan sides.

Raskin was diagnosed with a common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, specifically diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This generally develops in the lymph nodes deep inside the body, affecting the immune system and white blood cells. This type of cancer is aggressive and grows rapidly, but it is treatable.

In his announcement, Raskin confirmed that his cancer is “serious” but fortunately “curable.”

Raskin will be starting chemo-immunotherapy treatment at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The Maryland representative still expects to continue his congressional work through his treatments, while under doctors’ advice “to reduce unnecessary exposure to avoid COVID-19, the flu, and other viruses.”

Raskin declared on Wednesday that he will “get through this” just as he plans to “keep making progress every day in Congress for American democracy.”

Source: The Hill