OTTAWA -- Liberal MP Belinda Stronach is recovering well in a Toronto hospital after undergoing surgery to treat breast cancer earlier this week.
"Belinda is upbeat and looking forward to continuing on with her recovery," said Greg MacEachern, a spokesman for the Toronto-area MP.
Stronach, 41, had a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery on Tuesday. The cancer was detected in April - shortly after she announced she would not be running in the next election - during a routine mammogram test. She underwent a lumpectomy after the diagnosis, followed by this week's mastectomy.
"She is recovering with friends and family,'' said MacEachern.
After her diagnosis, which she only shared with close friends and family, Stronach continued to make public appearances, including a stop at Ottawa's race weekend in late May.
Liberal leader Stephane Dion praised Stronach's strength in light of her new struggles.
"The discretion, determination and dignity with which she has led her fight against breast cancer are an inspiration to all of us, and will undoubtedly serve her and her family well as they continue to overcome this challenge,"Dion said in an e-mail to CanWest News Service.
"We are also encouraged by the news of her excellent prognosis for a full recovery. Indeed, Ms. Stronach has helped to remind us all that regular check-ups and early detection are essential to successfully combatting cancer," he added.
The type of cancer that Stronach was diagnosed with is called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). It is one of the most common and treatable forms of breast cancer.
Dr. Eileen Rakovitch, a radiation oncologist at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, told CTV Newsnet that DCIS isn't life-threatening.
"The most important part about treating DCIS is to remove it all," she said. "DCIS is defined by malignant cells that are confined to the duct, so DCIS is, in contrast to invasive breast cancer, localized within the breast and does not spread to lymph nodes."
But Rakovitch said "some women can go on to have a recurrence and some women can get invasive breast cancer so the goal in treatment is to try and get all the disease out."
Breast cancer strikes one in nine Canadian women. But the chances of complete recovery for Stronach are high, as almost 90 per cent of breast cancer victims between the ages of 30 and 49 survive.
Stronach was expected to soon resume her executive role at Magna International, her father's auto-parts company. She said she was leaving politics to spend more time with her children, Frank Jr., 15, and Nikki, 13.
"I am not leaving because I don't have an interest in issues or a passion for public service. I still have an interest. . . . We all have to assess from time to time what our responsibilities are and I'm making this decision right now for my children and my family," Stronach told the Ottawa Citizen in May.
It is not known if she will officially resign from the Liberal party earlier than expected.
Stronach has been involved in Canadian politics for less than four years, but has attracted more attention than many politicians do in a lifetime. Her first political move was a bold one, choosing to run for the leadership of the newly formed Conservative party although she had never held elected office. In April 2005, Stronach shocked many by crossing the floor to join the Liberal party, where she served for eight months as minister of human resources. It was a move that angered many and prompted some nasty name-calling. One Ontario MPP referred to her as "an attractive dipstick."
source : www.canada.com
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