(CNN) - Teresa Heinz-Kerry, the wife of Sen. John Kerry, is battling breast cancer first discovered by an annual mammogram earlier this year, she announced in a Pittsburgh-Post Gazette Op-Ed Wednesday.
A spokesman from the Heinz Family Philanthropies confirmed to CNN Heinz-Kerry does have cancer.
Heinz-Kerry writes she was diagnosed and treated for stage one cancer in both breasts, first detected at an early stage during an annual mammogram. According to Heinz-Kerry, she has had two operations and her prognosis for a full recovery is good.
In the Op-Ed, the 71-year-old Heinz-Kerry also said an annual mammogram is vital to a positive prognosis, and made clear she sharply disagreed with a federal panel recommendation last month that women in their 40s should stop routinely having annual mammograms and older women should cut back to one scheduled exam every other year.
"The members of the task force were predisposed to choose numbers over people and their recommendations forgot that women do not need more excuses not to get a mammogram at regular intervals, as determined by their doctors," Heinz-Kerry writes. "Our busy lives are full of those. What we need are more reasons to keep those appointments, more support of the value of prevention and refinement of diagnostic procedures, and more choices."
"I am not a doctor or medical expert, but it is neither the doctors nor the experts to whom I wish to speak here. It is, rather, to all the women who have been left confused by this latest report, and to all those who love them," she added.
The Department of Health and Human Services has said it did not endorse the government panel's recommendation and continues to urge for annual mammograms.
(Updated with Heinz-Kerry's Op-Ed comments)
– CNN's Bob Crowley contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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I am surpried it is just 5 days of radiation. Generally it is 5 days a week for 5-7 weeks, and that is the standard of care for just 0 stage Cancer, also known as DCIS.
Best of luck to Tereasa and to John, Prayers are with you both for speedy and complete recovery.
A Massachusetts Constituent whose wife is going through the same thing.
We will have you on our prayer list along with many others in ur church.
Merry Christmas.
I saw my mother struggle with breast cancer for 5 years. This disease is cannibalisitc. I shudder to think that there might actually be a cure out there but the pharmaceutical companies can make more money out of the "treatment". You're in my prayers Mrs. Kerry.
Teresa please know my prayers are with you and with good health care I feel that you will be fine. I surely wish you well.
I forgot to mention in my earlier post about my friend with breast cancer...
Her former husband, who has been ordered by the court to provide $200 a month in child support and health insurance for their son has so far provided zero, even though he has been ordered by the court THREE times do start paying. He moved to another state after each court order.
Merry Christmas.
We need to feel blessed that we have the health care system we have now and the know how to treat most cancers. MY mother died in the 70's of the disease which now probably could have been treated. MY sister survived it a couple years ago and is now free of the disease we hope. I hope Mrs Kerry is also fortunate and beats the disease.
I wondered why she did not attend the State's dinner with Senator Kerry. I am so sorry to hear Mrs. Heinz-Kerry is battling this terrible disease. I hope her God's speed in her recovery. Mammograms are very very important to women's health and I hope the recommendation for mammograms won't be compromised in any way.
My prayers go out to her. I am a breast cancer surviver and I found my breats cancer at the age of 41 so I am also upset with that federal panel recommendation.
I'm not a John Kerry fan, I don't like the Kerry's, but I do wish Mrs. Heinz Kerry the best of luck, I hope that she comes out of this with flying colors, and that both she and John Kerry have a safe and healthy Christmas and New Year. Best of luck to both of them and God Speed!
We wish Teresa a fast, full recovery.
hopefully teresa will get well and be able to return to the republican values her husband had. then she can get out and tell the world the horrors that the democrats "health" care bill will cause for even the untouchable rich people like her and the congress's wives. fitting that she might be the one to de-rail this abomination!!!!!
No doubt Oklahoma Senator Tom Couburn will be out with another "ill wish" shortly!
Hang in there Teresa. Good luck, God's speed and Merry Christmas.
I'm not really supersticious, but whatevever you do, DO NOT marry a Democratic presidential hopeful named John.
I hope the absolute best for Mrs. Kerry.
Good thing she will get treatment through Obamacare. Right Senator?
I bet she has good health insurance. Unlike the rest of the "PEASANTS" in this country
Best wishes for a quick and uneventful recovery!
Good luck to her and best wishes for a full recovery.
I'm glad she spoke out on the federal panel recommendation. We should note however that although HHS did not endorse that recommendation, that federal panel has been granted significant powers in the health care legislation that the Senate will pass tomorrow – enough so, it may not matter what HHS thinks.
In the interest of avoiding dangerous health care rationing and protecting younger women vulnerable to breast cancer, I would hope John Kerry would ensure this federal panel can't restrict access to mamograms and other early detection methods before the final bill is passed.
Also hope John Kerry doesn't turn out to be a John Edwards.
get well soon Mrs Kerry may God be with you and have ahappy holiday,you and your family.
such a lovely, gracious lady. Her kindness is evident in her face and I have been impressed from what I have read about her sincere self-giving life. I wish her & her family the best of life & blessings.
Mrs. Kerry Get well soon. My thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery. I once worked in medical offices with Insurance and you are so right, everyone needs to stay in good health and only with diagnostic test we can stay that way. The healthcare industry is wonderful however the Insurance companys stink.
Go Teresa! I agree with you whole heartedly. I am a breast cancer survivor and a public health professional (epidemiolgist/health educator). I found my lump by doing a breast self exam. Something that HHS is not recommending. HHS is suppose to be focusing on prevention and early detection not discouraging women from taking charge of their health!!!
While no fan of John Kerry, or his wife's opinions recently, I wish her the best of care, and hope that she battles this illness with her usual aplomb.
It should stand as a stark note to those pushing for government run healthcare how vitally real the stakes are when one's individual decisions and liberty to pursue said decisions are at the forefront of this debate.
No government politician can, nor should make Mrs. Kerry's decisions for her.
Our government cannot even supervise the manufacturing of H1N1 vaccines (another 5,000,000 doses are worthless recently) it cannot be expected to care responsibly for an individual's health.
Fight on, Mrs. Kerry.
So in which country will she choose to receive treatment? Cuba? Great Britain? Sweden?
My prayers go out to her for a quick recovery. God Bless!
I'm definitely not a John Kerry fan, but I wish John and his wife the very best in this fight against a terrible disease. May you have a speedy and complete recovery.
I wish her well. She only has stage one so that is very good news. I have survived for almost 8 years with stage 2 breast cancer. Most of us are not as lucky as she is to have the type of Insurance that she and her husband carries. Under the Democrats plan I'm not sure if I will last another year. If Medicare care takes a hit then I will be doomed.
At 67 I get a mammo every other year – so far so good. All you can do is stay on top of things, keep checking yourself and don't be shy about questioning the doctor. After all, your life is at stake!
Dear Mrs. Kerry,
We will pray for you. Just remain positive.
Sometimes it takes something like this to put a human face on a person. Especially a person who became a conservative target and who was so vilified during the presidential race of 2004. Some of the media painted her as hostile towards the media and nothing more than a wealthy benefactor to her husband, as if love and companionship had nothing to do with their marriage. She was considered the bankroll behind the husband candidate. It's funny how we ignore the millions or billions of dollars from Bloomburg types, but our double standards always creep in when a strong women enters the room. Some of us are so predisposed to this. I wish her the best. She has always seemed like a very strong person.
Mrs. Kerry, thank you for sharing your story with the world. I share your disagreement with the federal panel's revised recommendations about mammograms.
My family wishes you a speedy recovery and all the best this holiday season!
All my prayers and wishes are with you Teresa. With the grace of God, you WILL recover completely and be with your wonderful and graceful husband for many many years to come, AMEN.
As a breast cancer survivor of over 30 years, I wish Mrs..Kerry well and say "hang in there"With medical science and faith, women are managing to live a lot longer even after major surgery.
My best wishes to Mrs. Kerry and her family.
(Will call for my long overdue appointment now! Arrrgh!)
Teresa and John,
Good Luck and a speedy recovery.
Our thoughts are with you.
Teresa~
I wish you a complete recovery....may God take care of you.
I with terre Kerry all the best and my prayer is up on you and your family as a whole. God will help you and fix the disease you feel attacking you. Best wishes
Elias
Best of luck to them.
I'll bet next year's salary that she doesn't rely on Obamacare for treatment. Like in Animal Farm. . .some of us are more "equal" than others.
Amen Mrs. Heinz-Kerry! Thank you for speaking up for millions! May God bless and keep you. I wish you a speedy recovery.
As a breast cancer survivor, I too know the importance of early detection by annual mammograms. My company, has gone to 100% payment, but only every other year, which is an implied recommendation that women only need to have it done every other year. I pray every day that none of my coworkers has the horror of discovering she is in the later stages of breast cancer due to not having an annual mammogram.
I hope Mrs Kerry has a full recovery and am truly thankful that she has spoken out against the panel.
Wishing you a speedy recovery! I am glad and not surprised to see that you are treating this an opportunity to educate about this important issue that touches too many lives each year. You go girl!!
Wow some of these comments are just insane. Party affiliation is meaningless. Get well Mrs. Kerry.
Best wishes to her as she takes on the big "C".........she would have made a great First Lady!
All the best to Mrs. Kerry! She showed us what a strong and upstanding woman she is during the 2004 presidential campaign and this will keep her in good stead.
Take Care
As despicable as Lurch her husband is, I wish the best for Mrs. Kerry and a complete recovery.
Our prayers go out for Teresa.
Hopefully, her comments on mamograms will be taken seriously by the federal task force (aka "death panel")
Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't remind all (in response to "rita") the vilification of another strong woman who delivered a Downs baby.
Best of luck Mrs. Kerry!
The public should be grateful for public figures like Mrs. Kerry in that she is speaking and doing what each woman should, no matter what their insurance situation- taking responsibility for her health, being well informed/educated, and ambitious to treat the disease. Early detection is key and it starts with routine self breast exams that don't cost a penny. And when it comes to insurance (or a person's lack of) people should take it as seriously as the threat of disease or major injury and do something to get it! Not wait until illness strikes only to complain they can't get the proper care that everyone else is getting. The need to acquire one's own health insurance policy should be stressed at early ages so that when children become adults it's the first thing they strive to get instead of purchasing a new TV and playstation.
I simply cannot believe the hate in here. This poor woman has breast cancer and you're making political, horrible political points over this.
Can you not just simply wish someone well without the Hate.
I wish Mrs. Heinz-Kerry the best and a quick recovery, the rest of her family the courage to face this with her and provide her with all the support that is their's to give.
Michael
Ms. Kerry my prayers are with you and your family.
Get well!
God Bless.
Man when are we going to find a cure for cancer?
"and we are not saved..."
Dear Mrs. Kerry, Welcome to the "Pink Ribbon Society" survivors! As a Friend said to me "We are Bosom Buddies!" When I was 69, I was diagnosed with early stage one tumor, and opted for a mastectomy and was able to avoid both chemo and radiation. That was in 1999. Then in the early part of Feb. 2008, The other breast was shown to have a stage one tumor, so had it removed. Again, no chemo or radiation and aside from looking like a pear, I refuse to wear a prosthesis, and I am FINE! I totally agree that the Mammogram is essential!! Both of mine were diagnosed via that route, and I was so glad to be living in an area with a top notch Cancer centre.. Take Care!! and live each day one at a time!!!
Is she really 71? Wow!
As a two time survivor of breast cancer myself, I can certainly empathize with Mrs. Kerry. I agree with the other poster who expressed surprise at only 5 days of radiation. Perhaps a typo, CNN? Anyway, I sure wish her and her family all the best.
The best to Mrs. Kerry, she'll be fine. People do put off getting mammograms easier than any other test. I've lost three good friends who did this, two were in their late thirties, and one in her forties.
So Sen Kerry's wife doesn't agree with the Federal Panel's recommendation regarding breast exams and mamography? The panel clearly doesn't think the lives saved are worth the extra cost. I hope she and Sen Kerry realize that with the passage of Obamacare the Federal panels recommendation will be what Doctors have to follow. We are only a few votes, and a few weeks away from mamograms becoming unavaliable for women in their 40s who depend on their insurance to pay for them. Maybe Sen Kerry is voting for Obamacare because doesn't care, it won't impact his wealthy family?
Good luck to Mrs. Kerry and thanks to her for encouraging women to continue to get their annual mammograms.
Iowa Voter: wish her well. She only has stage one so that is very good news. I have survived for almost 8 years with stage 2 breast cancer. Most of us are not as lucky as she is to have the type of Insurance that she and her husband carries. Under the Democrats plan I'm not sure if I will last another year. If Medicare care takes a hit then I will be doomed.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Iowa voter, How would you know what kind of insurance coverage Mrs. Kerry has? In case you haven't noticed, the whole point of health care reform is for ALL Americans to have access to affordable health care. I don't believe Senator Kerry is trying to prevent that. Under Republicans , nothing would be done. They would rather see President Obama fail at this, blame him , and do nothing than to try work with the President and Democrats and do something to fix the problems. Congress people on both sides are more interested in keeping their campaign contributions than helping the American people. That you are worried about potential cuts in Medicare shows that you are falling for the fear and scare tactics so popular with Republicans who want to put everything on hold for another decade.
God bless.....
Best wishes and we will say prayers for you and your family for a speedy recovery.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.
I also wish Mrs Kerry and her family well during this trying time. Her advice is something that needs to be heard more and more often so situations like this can be caught in time or avoided completely.
To those of you who, rather then send best wishes, choose to use this as your own political forum have some common decency and comment elsewhere. This isn't a political story but a human one.
STAY STRONG, DEAR FRIEND.
Be strong and hopeful. You are in my thoughts and I'm wishing you the best outcome. You have a lot of work to do yet young lady! Behind you 100%!
Teresa do not give up and I hope all the best for you and your family
I'm a breast cancer survivor, but also someone who understands enough about statistics and science to agree with the new recommendations. Why focus on screening that hasn't been shown to reduce death rates? For as many lives that would be saved by all that screening, as many women will develop cancer because of the radiation in mammograms. We need better, not more, screening.
The focus on screening makes people feel like they're doing more than they are. Let's put the focus back on finding a CURE, and the reasons behind the disease rather than feel-good programs that don't do much good.
People, use your MINDS, not your emotions. Look at the science, not personal anecdotes.
What's the point. Most Americans believe in Adam and Eve and aren't taught science. Why should I expect them to make rational decisions? What a depressing state of things.
This is why getting checked every year is very important. I hope she defeats it, and gets better.
And will people please stop the hateful messages in here? This is not the place for that. Just think if a loved one or you yourself gets it, and somebody wishes you ill even more? Sometimes I wonder if people even bother to check just how hateful and cynical they've already become these days.
Nevertheless, Merry Christmas to all of us! May we all be loved, and love in return, this season of God's unconditional love – liberal, conservative, independent or just plain indifferent.
Mrs Kerry:
I am relieved to read that your prognosis is good.this must be a terrible stress for yourself and family to go through. Furthermore I am also relieved that you chose to DIREGARD those that would have us believe that these types of medical check-ups are not necessary. In cases where cancer is a threat. There is never an instance where screening is not necessary. To suggest different, is Quackery and nothing short-sightedness. Failure to get testred, does nothing but financially enrich the insurance companies by way of not having to pay out money for med billing. Get the test! Better you have the information and not need it, than need it and not have it. Better safe than sorry!
My heart goes out the Kerry family but at least she has premium health insurance that will give her hope of getting well. Except, I think she really needs to support her husband's stand on health care. The first thing she should do is visit the death panel to see what her options are and then find out what cancer fighting drugs will they ALLOW her to take. Being 71 years old, I'm sure her options will be limited, since, according to the new health care plan, she is at non-productive stage in her life so she will not be allowed to have the same tretment as a twenty-something who is more prductive. Sorry for being so cynical, but this is a very sad time in our country. May God, Allah, Budda, the Golden Ram or whatever you believe in, help us all.
my heart goes to her , my grandma pass away of breast cancer and it was very painful . hang in there. tereasa , u are in my prayer.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
I have to have 7 weeks of Radiation and it really burn the mess out of me so I am glad Mrs. Kerry only have to have 5 days of radiation.
As a Stage 4 survivor of breast cancer (yep, I beat "death"), diagnosed at 44, I extend my best wishes and strength to win the battle to you Mrs. Kerry. God love you for "sticking it" to the clueless bunch of idiots otherwise known as the "federal panel task force members"!!!
My Prayers are with you Mrs. Kerry. My twin sister found out she had breast cancer when we were 46 years old thanks to a mammogram. Thirteen years later she is cancer free.
I hope she has health insurance. Oh that's right. Not only is she rich, but she's married to a Senator. She will not even have to spend her own money with a health care plan like the one the Senator has.
Best Wishes for a full recovery!
Teresa: A solis ortu usque ad occasum, laudabile nomen Domini.
Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus; et super coelos gloria ejus.
From the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise.
The Lord is high above all nations; and His glory above the heavens.
I wish for you good health and a fast recovery. I also suggest you lookseriously into the Koffler Breast Cancer clinic reknown for there work in breats cancer. Feel better
I am a 23 year breast cancer survivor – diagnosed when i was 37 so i am outraged at the panel's age recommendations. What do they know?!?
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. God Bless and Keep you.
Best wishes to her in her recovery.
Thank goodness obamacare wasn't forced upon her and she didn't have to wait for the gov't officials to approve treatment or procedures as they do in Canada with their socialized healthcare.
Good luck Mrs Kerry.
You are precisely correst, Ms. Heinz-Kerry. You are on point and your comments are well said. I trust all women who read the so-called recomendation that a woman "only get tested every other year" or leave off testing, period, will take that for what it is–someone's agenda who apparently has some financial stake in the matter.
(Hmmmm. wonder if some lobbyist of the healthcare industry paid someone to say this.....)
I am appalled at those individuals who felt it necessary to post such nasty, vitriolic comments. How dare you try to politicize an individual's war with cancer. I am a 10 year breast cancer survivor and understand the journey in which Mrs. Heinz-Kerry and Senator Kerry are now involved. I wish them both well. And, I feel very sorry for those folks who remain cloaked in bitterness and have absolutely no understanding of compassion and empathy.
Mrs Heinz keep strong and positive. I'm praying for you as I do for all women who experience this disease – not just breast cancer but all cancers including uterine and colon cancer survivors. Stage 1 diagnosis will help you seek out all the best remedies including both chemo and radiation; don't let up and stay away from negativity. Cancer is not a death sentence; the disease will make you a stronger and more reflective person. I worked all my life until early this year when I Iost my job and primary medical insurance. The last day of work when I was supposed to be clearing out my desk I was seeking emergency medical advice from my doctor who told me nothing was wrong but my gut told me to seek another doctor 's advice who in essence diagnosed my condition – but like you, it was caught in the nick of time. Between the time of my diagnosis and my surgery, I stayed away from negative comments I continue to seek other employment and read many books when the medical bills and threat of foreclosure threaten to erode my confidence, I continue to fight back and follow up with my doctors. Thank God for Medicare , a Public Option, because I would probably not have been able to get the good medical care here in South Florida if I was without it.because having lost my job, I also lost the benefit of the government agency"s insurance. Well, just think about the 40 plus million people who have no health insurance and the dread they face for not being able to be diagnosed and treated. Thanks for your foundation and the many gifts to people who struggle with hunger, sickness and deprivation. Please continue with your husband to fight for universal insurance for all.
Teresa I am truly so sorry to hear you have stage one cancer. i wish you a fast and full recovery. May God bless you and your family.