May 17, 2009 10:50 pm US/Eastern
Sen. Kennedy 1 Year After Cancer Diagnosis
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Sen. Ted Kennedy (File Image)
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
He appears to be beating the odds after a grim diagnosis. It was one year ago today thatÂ
Sen. Edward Kennedy was hospitalized after suffering a seizure.
A diagnosis of brain cancer soon followed.
But after a difficult 12 months, Kennedy is still a huge political force, conserving and marshalling his strength to finish his life's work – health care.
Some would say that cause is what keeps the senior senator going. "New hope, that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American, north, south, east, west, young, old will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and privilege."
One year ago today, Kennedy fell ill at his home in Hyannis. His family gathered at Mass. General Hospital to hear some terrible news –
brain cancer. But the senator was upbeat as he left the hospital and was soon spending time on the water.
Meanwhile, Kennedy chose the most aggressive treatment – brain surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. "I feel, I feel, well, once in a while I get a little tired," he said.
The accolades soon began to roll in. At last summer's
Democratic National Convention, Kennedy's last-minute decision to attend was second in drama only to Barack Obama's nomination.
But in January, on Inauguration Day, Kenney collapsed. Though many feared the worst, doctors blamed it on fatigue.
And he would soon be back.
The president himself led the singing at
Kennedy's 77th birthday celebration, and the senator threw out the first pitch at Fenway Park.
Through all the honors, it is the cause of health care for all that continues to inspire him, and he uses the energy that remains trying to achieve that lifelong goal.
With a democrat in the White House, Kennedy knows his chances are better than they've been in many years, and he's not giving up.
Though Sen. Kennedy is not able to attend lengthy meetings on health care, he works the phone regularly, moving the levers of power. Some people say he is trying to get a bill through Congress before the August recess.
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