WASHINGTON (AP) — Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono is undergoing treatment for kidney cancer and says she has a favorable prognosis from her doctor in Washington.
She will undergo surgery to remove a kidney on Wednesday, a spokesman said.
The first-term Democrat promises to fight the disease “with the same determination I’ve fought for the people of Hawaii.” And in a separate email, Hirono said she will seek another term.
“And here’s what I also want you to know: I am, without question, running for re-election in 2018. The stakes are too high and our shared values are under attack like never before,” she said.
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Hirono expects to have her right kidney removed as well as a lesion on one of her ribs. Hirono says her doctor expects her “to make a full recovery from these treatments.”
She served as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor from 1994-2002 and was a member of the House from 2006-12 when she was elected to the Senate.
Hirono says she will continue to work during her treatment. She cast a vote in the Senate late Tuesday as lawmakers considered a Transportation nominee.