Rep. Curry Todd tells Tennessee House panel he has incurable form of cancer [The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.]
By Richard Locker, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
He decided to go public Tuesday during a
Todd, 64, spoke just before the committee voted on House Bill 1087 when it appeared a majority would vote to kill it. Instead, the committee tied 13-13, which means it didn't advance but will be discussed again next week.
"I'm a little emotional about this," he told his colleagues. "How many of you have walked into the doctor's office and he's told you you've got cancer? I have cancer. Four years ago, I was diagnosed.
"There is no cure for what I have. I have a type of cancer that three in a million people get. So this is a subject that's close to my heart, period."
Todd said in a news conference later the cancer is macroglobulinemia, described by the
Todd said he doesn't take any chemotherapy, but if he gets to that point he would prefer an oral medicine because it's less invasive.
He said the cancer doesn't affect his legislative work and he's running for re-election this year.
"I go back in every six months and have blood work-up done," he said. "There's four stages to the disease; I'm in the first stage. It does have some effects on me: my vitamin B-12 and other things it depletes and makes me tired some. But I've got grandkids, (ages) 2, 4 and 6, and I plan on dancing at their weddings."
Todd, a former
"We had all the cancer folks in the audience today and I felt that I needed to make a statement because if I could help save one person's life by letting them have a pill and not have to go take chemo, then it would all be worth it."
The bill, sponsored by Rep.
Todd said its purpose is to allow doctors the option of prescribing pills instead of chemotherapy.
"Some people think it's a mandate and I'm not for mandates," he said. "A lot of times, a mandate is going to cost a lot of money. But I think this is a bill that can help save people's lives and it's very minimal impact, not only on the employer but on the insurer itself."
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