The American Spirit: Battling Cancer

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz Went Public about Her Cancer in Order to Raise Awareness and Save Lives

(CBS)  As a member of Congress, Debbie Wasserman Schultz is used to living her life out in the open. But until recently, she managed to hide a huge secret, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.

"My main reason for wanting to deal with it privately until I was already all the way through it was so that I could protect my kids," Wasserman Schultz said.

She's talking about the seven surgeries - including a double mastectomy - she endured last year after discovering she had breast cancer at the young age of 41.

"We have Congressional recesses when I was able to schedule my surgeries, and you know enough recovery time to get back up and running when we went back into session," Wasserman Schultz said. "I juggled."

The mother of three, who commutes from Florida, is used to juggling - and on the Hill, she's known for being tough and blunt.

Which is why the Congresswoman surprised everyone this spring when she came forward, and broke down.

"I didn't find my tumor because of luck," Wasserman Schultz said. "I found my tumor because of knowledge and awareness."

But it's what happened since that day that surprised her even more.

"I got so many e-mails and handwritten letters," she said. "Hundreds and hundreds like this, it's been absolutely incredible."

The messages thank her for going public.

"I was at a parade in my district two weeks ago and a woman came up, grabbed my wrist and said 'you saved my life Debbie,'" Wasserman Schutlz said. "She said after she'd seen my story she did a breast self exam right away and she found a lump … She found a lump and she had a biopsy scheduled that week."

It made her realize how many women, especially young women, are unfamiliar with the risk breast cancer poses.

More than 25,000 American women younger than 45 are diagnosed with the disease every year. Eight of these women die every day.

Wasserman Schultz decided to write her own bill, which would give grants to educate young women on how to detect breast cancer and how to deal with it.

"More than half of young women are not receiving the timely treatment that they need," Wasserman Schultz said.

And they rarely get tested to see if, like Wasserman Schultz, they are genetically predisposed to breast cancer.

"How are you feeling now?" Cordes asked Wasserman Schultz.

"I'm feeling great" she said. "Everything is good."

All because she caught her cancer early - a lesson she decided was just too important to keep secret.

[jinks_smith]

My wife had a cancer 2 months back. But now, I praise God for healing her! indeed theres a power in prayer and I can attest to that. So please dont loose hope and always to trust God. email me [e-mail] :)

[finkfust]

What the **** has this got to do with American spirit? A rich woman with access to every possible medical treatment!!! This story is actually about American privilege and hypocrisy.

How about the uncountable women across the world who have to cope with (and usually die from) exactly the same condition with NO medical treatment, not even pain killers!

When are you stupid Yanks going to get your heads out of your apparently sh*t-free a$$e$ and understand what you're really doing?

[gaddystanl]

This is a great time to compare health care plans. How much she paid vs someone with a normal policy in America and what one would pay for these same services under the new propesed plan. Go ahead, don't let thsi one pass you by.

[babooph]

If only we could all have such health care,but it is too costly for the troglites-the new feudalism,now firmly entrenched in the US is sold by the propaganda system as "democracy& capitalism"these politicians suck off the public teat all their lives -where is that capitalism ?

[elainegail]

Nice story and I'm happy for Representative Wasserman Schultz. However, I was somewhat offended by the story, especially with all the discussions regarding health care currently going on.

Representative Wasserman Schultz has WONDERFUL health care coverage since she is a member of Congress. I imagine everything was paid for AND she got to choose exactly when she would have her surgery (while on recess from Congress).

I am a 61 year old very well educated woman with no health insurance. After working full time with benefits for 30 years, I quit my job in order to take care of my elderly mother who is now 93 years old. We live off of her income which does not leave any money for me to pay for doctor visits, tests, surgeries, etc. Due to a self-exam I found a lump in my breast over 6 months ago. I KNOW about self-exams but I don't have any means to take care of the lump. Ms. Couric and Representative Wasserman Schultz did not even mention a situation like mine. They made it sound like if women only knew about self exams everything would be taken care of - they missed the entire issue of health care coverage. Very sad.

[sam-kiley]

bonjour
a travers ces reportages sur "l'esprit américain" j'ai eule loisurs d'apprendre un peu plus sur l'américain, j'étais déja au courant de sa combativité, c'est un battant qui ne baisse pas les bras devant les difficultés, la maladie etc...néanmoins il a quand meme un petit défaut, c'est un "mauvais perdant" mdrr....perdre comme gagner font partie de la vie, parfois il faut savoir etre bon joueur et accepter....

je salue le geste du sénateur Rep. Debbie Wasserman , je l'aivue aux infos du "early show" son engagememnt envers la femme pour la sensibiliser, merite tous les honneurs..bravo debbie vous etes une femme remarquable,il faut etre vigilant pour barrer le chemein a cette terrible maladie et la sensibilistaion reste le seul moyen..le plus efficace aussi.. j'espére que d'autres suivront...que pareiless actions soient entreprises a travers le monde, surtout dans certains pays d'afrique ou la femme vit dans des conditions terribles..je vous souhaite une bonne santé..au revoir

[gramto8]

by momo7not8 October 14, 2009 8:24 PM EDT
This was a nice story on early detection of breast cancer. It is too bad that Couric allowed it to be edited in such a way that Sarah Palin was slammed...again. Get over it Katie. Act like a journalist who reports the news. If you were not directly involved with this editing, then you should have seen to it that it wasn't put in. It makes YOU look bitter and that's not flattering to women our age.
____________________________________________
I have read and reread the above article, and I cannot find a reference to Palin anywhere. Would you be so kind as to show me where it says anything?

[UTinkUNoItAll]

If you watch the video below, when they talk about how "tough" she is, there is a snippet that states "she is not ready to run for vice-president".

While I am thrilled that this woman recovered and it was detected early, the sad truth is that many woman do not have congressional recesses to recover and have surgery. NO slam to this woman, but cry for better access to care for all Americans so they can get health screenings for breast and other forms of cancer so more lives can be saved.

[Solarrays247]

You are a wonderful role model for our young women, Debbie! Classy lady! Great job!

[momo7not8]

This was a nice story on early detection of breast cancer. It is too bad that Couric allowed it to be edited in such a way that Sarah Palin was slammed...again. Get over it Katie. Act like a journalist who reports the news. If you were not directly involved with this editing, then you should have seen to it that it wasn't put in. It makes YOU look bitter and that's not flattering to women our age.