Senator Ted Kennedy Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

By Anastacia Mott Austin

Three days after being rushed to the hospital for a series of seizures, Senator Ted Kennedy, 76, received the sobering news that he has a brain tumor.

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital treated the senator for the seizures, then performed a number of tests to determine their cause. Kennedy has a tumor called a malignant glioma in the front left portion of his brain. It is the most common type of brain tumor in older people.

As he left the hospital Wednesday, only a small bandage on the back of his head belied his troubles.

Doctors cleared him to return home and said he could resume normal activities, though he is expected to undergo some form of treatment for the tumor, such as chemotherapy or radiation.

He waved to crowds as he left the hospital, thanking them for their support. He apparently went sailing the same day he came home, which his friends and family say is typical of his fighting spirit.

Kennedy is the second-longest serving member of the Senate, having represented Massachusetts for more than 45 years. He ran for John F. Kennedy’s vacated Senate seat in 1962 after the latter became President.

During his time in the Senate, he has sponsored more than 2,600 bills, and enjoyed bipartisan friendships which have served him well. His work has included legislation on civil rights, education, health care, and the environment.

The Kennedy family is no stranger to tragedy, as the whole world knows. Ted Kennedy is the only surviving brother of four. Joseph P Kennedy Jr. was killed in World War II in 1944, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and brother Robert F. Kennedy was also assassinated while campaigning for President in 1968.

In addition, several members of the Kennedy family have survived cancer, including Ted Kennedy’s daughter Kara.

Politicians from both sides of the aisle expressed their concern for the senator. President Bush issued a statement of support, saying, "Laura and I are concerned to learn of our friend Senator Kennedy's diagnosis. Ted Kennedy is a man of tremendous courage, remarkable strength, and powerful spirit. Our thought [sic] are with Senator Kennedy and his family during this difficult period. We join our fellow Americans in praying for his full recovery."

Added Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, "The Senate is a family. We are all concerned about the health of Senator Kennedy. He is a friend, the model of public service and an American icon. And anyone who knows Ted Kennedy also knows that he is a fighter. He has a work ethic like no other and has risen to every challenge he's faced, and we are confident he will rise to this one as well."