Jimmy Carter's Cancer News Sparks Support
Many in his family had the disease, he told PBS NewsHour
Former president Jimmy Carter announced on August 12 that he has cancer, discovered during recent liver surgery. Carter, 90, did not announce which type of cancer he has, but did say in a statement that it is “now in other parts of my body.”
PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff interviewed Carter in July about how cancer had afflicted many in his family. He said at the time that he had “escaped it so far."
An Active Post-Presidency
Carter was the 39 president, inaugurated in 1977. He is remembered by many boomers for pardoning Vietnam War draft dodgers , for creating an energy bill and for directing international policy away from anti-Communism and toward supporting human rights.
We also remember his brokering a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, his decision to boycott the Moscow summer Olympics in 1980 and the Iranian hostage crisis. He served only one term.
Since leaving office, Carter has remained active in combating poverty and hunger and promoting global peace through the Carter Center. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His latest book A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety, was published in July.
Support for Carter on social media has been robust and has come from world leaders including President Obama, who called him “as resilient as they come," noting, “America is rooting for you.”
