The former senator from Kansas and Bob Dole, the Republican presidential candidate, announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
“My first treatment will begin on Monday. While there are definitely some hurdles ahead, I also know that I am joining millions of Americans who are facing their own serious health challenges,” the 97-year-old Dole said in a statement.
Dole served in the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1969, then served in the Senate until 1996, when he resigned amid his presidential campaign. He spent 11 years of his tenure in the Senate as GOP leader, setting a record as the longest-serving Republican leader. During the presidential race, which he lost to incumbent President Bill Clinton, health care reform was an important part of his platform. He promised to “find ways to make health care more accessible and affordable for all Americans” and “ensure that individuals who change jobs do not lose their coverage or limit existing conditions.”