Friends –
This past Sunday was World Cancer Day: something that has affected my family, friends, and this past year, myself. As I’ve moved through my cancer journey, I’ve seen how diseases can creep their way into communities and the strongest among us. Like so many things in this life, it’s never fair — and hardly ever expected.
The way we are living is unsustainable for our individual and collective health and the health of this one planet we call home. My team can attest to this: Since receiving the news I had cancer early in my campaign for Public Lands Commissioner, not once have I thought about stepping away. This diagnosis cemented my focus, strengthened my resolve, and showed me how important it is to bring our shared vision of people-first stewardship to office. Giving up has never been an option for me and so many others who look like me and come from families like mine.
Now, I’m cancer-free. As I continue this fight with preventive chemotherapy, I am also fighting for a future where we are breathing cleaner air, drinking cleaner water, and tapping into the abundance of these beautiful lands.
We are facing a collective environmental and public health crisis, not an individual one. There are connections between cancer and climate catastrophes — some that I’m grateful for, such as the medicinal Pacific yew tree being used in my chemo regimen and some that must be disrupted and changed.
We live in a time of grave threats to our livelihoods, and we live in a time of great awareness of the work ahead. Are we going to come together to fight for an environment that works for all people?
This has been the hardest fight of my life, and it’s also made me more aware than I ever have been about the interconnectedness of our lives, struggles, and blessings. I’m blessed with this growing community of support, and I will continue to fight for you.
Adelante,
Team Rebecca Saldaña (D)
PO Box 20776
Seattle, WA 98102
United States