As she begins her first term in the state House, Corvallis Democrat Rep. Sarah Finger McDonald is undergoing treatment for colon cancer.
McDonald said that her cancer has returned a second time in an interview with the Capital Chronicle. McDonald claimed that five days after her election, a blood test revealed that her colon cancer was no longer in remission.
McDonald, 52, said she will continue to work from the state Capitol most days while she has chemotherapy, which will continue during the legislative session.
I feel pretty comfortable about this because a blood test was able to identify it really early, McDonald added. However, on days when I’m receiving treatment or when I’m exhausted, I might not be as accessible as others might believe. However, that does not imply that I am not completing the work.
In an open contest in November, voters chose McDonald to succeed Dan Rayfield, who was elected attorney general.
While receiving treatment at a chemotherapy clinic on New Year’s Eve, McDonald responded to constituent emails.
McDonald has never worked in the statehouse before, but balancing constituency work and cancer is nothing new. McDonald received his initial diagnosis in February 2021. McDonald underwent a second round of therapy after the cancer returned in November 2022 and was also detected in a blood test.
McDonald, who was a member of the Corvallis school board at the time, underwent 20 rounds of chemotherapy at that time but still attended the majority of board meetings.
“I have successfully managed a lot of responsibilities in the past while undergoing treatment,” McDonald stated.
Some job that is done remotely
Every two weeks, one day is set out for her chemotherapy treatment cycles. McDonald stated that on those days, she intends to participate virtually in her committee meetings in the morning prior to her clinic visit.
We’ll make it work, even though it’s not perfect, she remarked. Serving my district and completing the task at hand are priorities for me.
The fact that McDonald’s illness struck her at a relatively young age serves as a warning that colon cancer can strike anyone under 50. When McDonald was initially diagnosed, she was 48 years old.
Her diagnosis was made just months before national health experts changed the earlier suggestion that patients should be screened for colon cancer at age 45 rather than 50.
According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer ranks as the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, around 106,600 new cases of colon cancer were reported in 2024. In 2024, it killed an estimated 53,000 people nationwide.
People are encouraged by McDonald’s to get their screenings as advised.
“My cancer journey might have looked very different if I had had a colonoscopy at 45 because we would have caught it earlier,” she added.
She claimed that one of the reasons she decided to make her cancer public was to inspire those who are afflicted with the disease and to encourage others to get screened.
Treatments take place in a recliner and can take almost five hours to finish, according to McDonald. She stated that she would be bringing her laptop along.
She said, “Here I am, living with cancer, and life goes on.”
— Oregon Capital Chronicle’s Ben Botkin
The largest state-focused nonprofit news agency in the country, States Newsroom, includes Oregon Capital Chronicle.
