New Jersey governor announces he has a tumor on his kidney and will undergo surgery
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Saturday that he has a tumor on his kidney and will undergo surgery to remove it in March.
“I’ve got a tumor on my left kidney and will undergo a partial nephrectomy in early March to remove it. The prognosis is very good and I’m profoundly grateful to my doctors for detecting the tumor early,” Murphy wrote on Twitter.
“Over 50,000 New Jerseyans will hear the words ‘you have cancer’ this year, so I’m far from alone here,” he wrote.
Murphy’s doctor had discovered a 3-centimeter-wide tumor on his left kidney during a recent checkup, the governor’s communications director confirmed to CNN in a statement.
“His doctor’s prognosis is that this is fully treatable since the tumor was discovered early,” said Mahen Gunaratna, the governor’s spokesman.
In an interview with NJ Advance Media, Murphy said he doesn’t anticipate having chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
Murphy will undergo surgery in New York and spend a few weeks recovering at home, while Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver serves as acting governor, NJ Advance Media reported.
On Twitter Saturday, the Democratic governor said that “health care is a right” and argue that “skyrocketing medical costs are a national emergency.”
“If there’s anything my diagnosis reminds me of, it’s that preventative services are lifesaving and we need to continue fighting for affordable health care for all,” said Murphy, who signed legislation earlier this year protecting the Affordable Care Act in his state.
The nine bills the governor signed on January 16 codified provisions of Obamacare into state law.
A former Goldman Sachs executive, Murphy was elected governor in 2017, giving control of the seat to Democrats following eight years under Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Murphy also served as US ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama.
Since taking office, Murphy has pushed New Jersey in a more progressive direction, raising the minimum wage, enacting tougher gun restrictions, approving funding for family planning providers, like Planned Parenthood, and allowing undocumented immigrants to be eligible for college financial aid.
Republicans have accused Murphy’s policies of hurting New Jersey’s economy and driving people out of the state.
He is up for reelection in 2021 and he hinted in his State of the State address that he would seek a second term.
This story has been updated to include a statement from Murphy’s office as well as more about his treatment.
