Senator Bill Nelson gave the assurance that his diagnosis will not affect his plans for re-election in 2018. The senator said, "I've been blessed with good health, which has allowed me the great privilege of public service, and I look forward to continuing serving the country and Florida."
CNN reported that in a statement that was released by Senator Bill Nelson's office, the cancer was found early during a routine medical checkup. Extensive scans showed that the cancer didn't manifest any evidence that it is spreading "outside the prostate" area.
The office then announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is scheduled to undergo treatment next week.
According to Cancer.Org, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men resulting to at least 27,540 deaths. This type of cancer primarily occurs in older men, from 65 years old above, and it rarely occurs in men from 40 years old and below.
Senator Bill Nelson's political career started in 1972 in Florida. He then served various positions in the Florida Cabinet as state Treasurer, Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner, in 1994.
Reuters reported that Senator Bill Nelson won his first term in 2000 and is currently on his third six-year term. Senator Nelson is one of the top Democrat senators championing "highway funding, the environment, the space program and other issues important to the state."
Dubbed as a "true son of Florida," his family came to Florida back in 1829. His grandparents settled in a land that is known today as the Kennedy Space Center back in the 20th century and as fate would have it, Senator Bill Nelson boarded the space shuttle "Columbia" that was launched near that land. He spent six days orbiting around the earth's atmosphere.
Senator Nelson expressed his thoughts on the experience saying, "From that perspective, you can see how we're all in this together. If we could just remember that, we'd sure get a lot more done."
