Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz (D Florida) grabbed my attention during the recent presidential campaign as a straight talking, take no shit, politician. Today she announced that she has been battling breast cancer for over a year.


Wasserman Shultz, 42, discovered a lump in her breast over a year ago during a self examination two months after a clean mammogram. She has had seven major surgeries in the last year, all during congressional breaks. Because of her family history of breast cancer returning in healthy tissue, she has had both breasts removed.


Wasserman Shultz has gone public with her illness while introducing a bill to target breast cancer awareness for younger women. "Young women do think we're invincible; and we don't think about it. The bill will also focus on educating physicians. So many times physicians blow off a young woman when she comes in with symptoms or warning signs because they don't focus on that young women can get breast cancer."

Wasserman Shultz is married to Steve Shultz and they have three children.