May 22, 2008 3:28 pm US/Eastern
Kennedy: I'm Enormously Grateful
Senator Thanks Doctors, Supporters
HYANNISPORT (WBZ) ―
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Sen. Ted Kennedy speaks to reporters outside his Hyanissport home.
WBZ
Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy spoke to reporters Thursday, for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.
The 76-year-old senator thanked his doctors and nurses and expressed his appreciation for the letters of encouragement he's received over the past few days. "I'm enormously grateful to everyone at Mass. General Hospital… all the nurses and doctors. I've received an incredible amount of wonderful notes and letters from friends and colleagues in the Senate as well as from people here in Massachusetts… It's been very uplifting and touching."
Kennedy said he's not planning to take part in the Figawi -- a sailing event held on the Cape -- this weekend, but he said there is an outside chance he might make his way down. His stepdaughter is graduating from college on Sunday.
The senator was scheduled to speak at Wesleyan University's graduation ceremony this weekend, but said that's unlikely at this point. The Associated Press is reporting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will take his place. "Considering what he's done for me and for our country, there's nothing I wouldn't do for him," Obama said in a statement. "So I'm looking forward to standing in his place on Sunday even though I know I won't be able to fill his shoes."
Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after suffering two seizures on Saturday. He was released from Mass. General on Wednesday and has been recovering from a biopsy at his Cape Cod home.
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