PRESQUE ISLE, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) delivered the keynote address at the County Cancer Conference hosted by The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), where he spoke about his battle with cancer and how that experience has helped shape his support for the Affordable Care Act. Following his remarks, King toured the organization’s new Aroostook Cancer Care Center, a groundbreaking facility that provides comprehensive cancer care and treatment to people in the region.

“Forty years ago, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, but I’m still here today because, thanks to health insurance, I went to the doctor when I otherwise wouldn’t have, they caught the cancer early and were able to treat it. But not everyone is as fortunate as I am,” Senator King said. “Today, millions of people continue to face cancer, and they do so with determination, power of will, and remarkable optimism. That strength is supported by the unshakable love of family and friends, and by caregivers, like those here at the Aroostook Medical Center, who dedicate their lives to helping others. And today, we stand together – as family, as friends, as a community – to remember those we lost and to renew our commitment to fighting this terrible disease, and one day, finding a cure.”

At the age of 29, Senator King battled a serious and aggressive form of skin cancer called malignant melanoma, which was discovered during a routine check-up that he otherwise would not have gone to had he not had health insurance. That experience undergirds Senator King’s support of the Affordable Care Act and its goal to make quality healthcare more accessible.  In addition to his remarks today, Senator King has also spoken about his battle with cancer on the Senate floor.

Following his keynote, Senator King toured the new Aroostook Cancer Care Center at TAMC, which has been undergoing significant renovations since last October to improve and expand treatment options. The project will bring all of TAMC’s cancer care services together in one convenient location for patients. As a part of this effort, the center will add a new chemotherapy infusion atrium and a concrete vault with a new, state-of-the-art linear accelerator. TAMC is the only healthcare provided north of Bangor with this technology, which uses radiation therapy to shrink tumors. The grand opening for the Aroostook Cancer Care Center is scheduled for this October.

Photo 1: Senator King delivers the keynote address at the County Cancer Conference in Presque Isle.

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