Rep. Joanne Davis (R-VA) dead of breast cancer

[cali]

Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis Passes Away After Battle With Breast Cancer


(Washington, D.C.) – Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis died at her Gloucester home this morning after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 57. Davis was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and had a re-occurrence earlier this year.


Davis had been receiving breast cancer treatment at Duke University and just recently had received positive reports on her condition. However, during the last week Davis’ health took a turn for the worse.

Details of the funeral services will be forthcoming.


http://joanndavis.house.gov/HoR/VA01/Press+Room/Press+Releases/2007/Congresswoman+Jo+Ann+Davis+Passes+Away+After+Battle+With+Breast+Cancer.htm

Seems like that was sudden.

[Bucky]

1. Not that it matters now, but how was her record on research & health before diagnosis

Not to be ghoulish, but I've noticed a trend among Republicans to not be compassionate about people in need of help until after the need surfaces in their own lives or in their family.

I wonder if Republicans seeing a friend die will lead to more more funding for breast cancer research which, tho a larger killer of Americans, receives less funding than colon cancer research.

[cali]

2. I haven't a clue, but I bet it wasn't good.

And I hate to say it, but I'm more ghoulish than you are. I want to know if a dem stands a chance in that district.

[More Than A Feeling]

4. Bush beat Kerry by 21 points there

and the democratic challenger in 2006 lost by 27 and couldn't hold her under 60%.

http://www.2008racetracker.com/page/VA-01?t=anon

[muffin1]

19. It's a VERY red area

I live about an hour away from Gloucester, VA. LOTS of conferderate flags, lots of churches with weird billboards like "Repent now or die".
Probably will remain red.

[usaftmo]

37. I'm from that District, and the odds don't look good.

She ran unopposed in 2002, 2004, and 2006 (actually had some token opposition). I sent a letter to the Governor that it seems the Democratic party has given up ever getting that seat; never got a reply though.

This District starts near Fredericksburg, and goes southeast (east of Richmond) down to Jamestown.

A Democrat hasn't had that position since 1977, and I don't see it changing for a long time due to the large rural areas of the District :-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia%27s_1st_congressional_district

[Demit]

7. I think you should look that up for us and report back.

Unless, of course, you aren't really interested in whether she was guilty of the trend you've noticed or not, and just wanted to use a report of her death as an excuse to rag on Republicans.

[cali]

8. Actually, I didn't.

Want to just rag on republicans. And someone else has reported on that already. But jump to all the conclusions you wish. *shrug*

[Bucky]

10. Actually, I think that scorn was directed at me.

But I'm not sure the poster cared too much about hitting the right target.

[Demit]

34. If you look carefully, you'll see I was replying to poster #1.

[kestrel91316]

22. You're complaining about somebody on DU finding an excuse to

rag on Republicans?????

This is DU. Ragging on Republicans, with or without an "excuse", is what we are about.

[spoony]

30. No

Ragging on Republicans? Yes
Ragging on Republicans who just died of breast cancer? Nope, that sure as hell is NOT what this site is about.

[liberalhistorian]

32. No, not ragging on them after a death, that is

sure as hell NOT what this site should be about! We should be, and need to be, better than that!!!!

I wonder how many people here politicizing this death will be the first to yell and scream when the freepers do the same thing??????

[OzarkDem]

25. No, its a valid point

While we mourn the death of anyone from breast cancer, our members of Congress have the most power of any individual or organization to make an impact on this disease.

Its their responsibility, they hold the purse strings and power to make life or death decisions about breast cancer, as well as other illnesses. A key vote on legislation can either save lives or destroy them. They must always be held accountable for what they do, or don't do to end suffering.


Some members complain that they get blamed for things they can't control, but when it comes to providing health care to end breast cancer or any other illness, they have control and they have to answer for their failures to get it done. My feeling is, if you don't like people reminding you of the suffering and death your actions cause, don't run for office.

[Demit]

35. It would be a valid point if the Congresswoman indeed was against cancer research.

But the poster didn't care to look that up before tarring her with that brush. I think you should know if a charge you're making is true, instead of wondering if it is. The post struck me as a nyah-nyah comment, about someone who had battled breast cancer for some time. Kind of nasty, I thought.

[OzarkDem]

36. NBCC is a good resource for Congressional voting records on breast cancer legislation

For future reference. They rank as one of the top grassroots advocacy organizations for cancer on the Hill...

http://www.natlbcc.org/bin/wapps/voterguide.asp?strid=21&depid=3&btnid=4

[JMDEM]

9. Nobody deserves that kind of death

Republican or not. My condolences to the family.

I wish we could have spent $600 billion in the last 6 years to cure cancer. But it was not this lady's fault, and if she had survived the chemo and radiation and surgery -- the months and months of self-imposed feel-like-you-are-going-to-die sickness -- I bet she would have changed her mind on quite a few things.

[OzarkDem]

26. She actually had a pretty good voting record

on issues related to breast cancer research, etc. See my post w/ links above.

[liberalhistorian]

31. THANK YOU! I am REALLY disgusted at anyone at all

who takes the opportunity to politicize a death, no matter WHAT side does it. This woman suffered the kind of slow, painful death that none of us would ever want to endure. I watched my best friend fight cancer for seven years, I KNOW what she suffered. It seems to me that we rag on the freepers when they do this, so what the hell is the difference when WE do it? It's just as disgusting, sick and plain WRONG. There is NO difference.

[ikojo]

12. This is not true of only Republicans but of Americans

in general..when autoworkers were being laid off in great numbers in the 1980s and '90s, the white collar professionals told them all they needed to do was get new jobs or go back to school and retrain. Now that office jobs are being outsourced, you hear more of a concern emanating from the white collar classes.

Most problems do not exist until they are on the doorstep of an average American's home.

[sallyseven]

17. Are you nuts? Repuks don't give a rats behind

about anyone but themselves. The hell with everyone else.

[OzarkDem]

21. Here's her voting record on breast cancer issues

110th Congress
She supported funding for the DoD Breast Cancer Research Program & Breast Cancer & Environmental Research Act (BCERA)

109th Congress - 100% score on NBCC Legislative Agenda

http://www.natlbcc.org/pdf/109th%20Congressional%20Record_Final.pdf

NBCC hasn't taken a position yet on a specific health care reform plan, so there's no way to judge her on that one.

In the 107th Congress, she did not support the Patients Bill of Rights Act, but did support funding for research, including BCERA, genetic information privacy and access to cancer therapies act.

http://www.natlbcc.org/pdf/vGuide02.pdf

On edit:

In the 108th Congress, she had a fairly good record on everything from breast cancer research funding, BCERA and Access to Cancer Therapies Act - a bill that would have provided Medicare coverage for all cancer therapies - not just inpatient care. It was later hijacked and warped into Medicare Part D.

http://www.natlbcc.org/pdf/vGuide04Final_108.pdf

[FARAFIELD]

28. one less vote

For the overide. Hate to see her pass, met her once with my Uncle. Just sayin'

[sandyd921]

33. Even more to the point

what was her record on the environment? Why do you think we have epidemic levels of breast cancer in this country?

[bluestateguy]

3. I send my condolences.

Breast cancer has become one of the highest incident diseases in this country. There is a good story on in it this week's Time magazine.

My condolences to Rep. Davis's family.

[cali]

5. Thank you. You showed class in contrast

to my "crass". I feel properly chastened.

[More Than A Feeling]

6. Good thoughts to her family as they struggle with losing a loved one.

Republican or Democrat, we all have to face death simply as people.

[SoCalDem]

11. It's always sad when someone so young dies, but she was fortunate

to have had such good insurance that allowed her to go to Duke University for care.. Many in her district probably have to rely on overworked, understaffed county hospitals and medicaid.. and would never pay for their patients to travel out of state for care..

[Divine Discontent]

13. good point, amen! and God bless her family. cancer is a bastard n/t

[emilyg]

14. Condolences to her family and friends.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. Her family is lucky she had insurance.

They won't be left with thousands of dollars of debt.

[Swamp Rat]

16. RIP n/t

[Bitwit1234]

18. My sister had breast cancer for five years also she got glowing

reports that the operation was successful and she was fine. Then one day in August she was told she had liver cancer, the breast cancer had metastasized and she was dead by November. I don't believe anything these HMO's say they save money by not testing.

[OzarkDem]

23. That's a shame

Her doctor should have been able to detect some symptoms before it spread to her liver. Sorry to hear it.

[RestoreGore]

20. My condolences to her family

It is hard to watch someone die of cancer. I did it at 17 when my nother died of it after a bout with breast cancer that spread to her bones. I wish her family inner peace.

[abq e streeter]

29. Exactly the same with me...

17 when my mom died of breast cancer. My sincere sympathies to the congresswoman's family, and glad she is no longer suffering.

[TwilightGardener]

24. RIP, Rep. Davis.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

27. You beat me to posting. I found this interesting:

She was first elected to Congress in 2000, and was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Her first piece of legislation, passed by the House in 2001, increased the life insurance benefit paid to survivors of military members killed on duty.
From: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/06/america/NA-GEN-US-Obit-Davis.php

She wasn't just for Corporations it seems. Not sure what other things she supported. Blessings for her family at this time.

My father passed away this year of cancer. I helped take care of him the last two weeks of his life. Now I am with a dog that apparently has cancer, can't walk and I wonder daily if today I should call the vet to have her "put to sleep". (The vet that took x-rays suggested she be put down that day.) A neighbor is going through the same thing. We have a "when your ready lets have them both done" agreement. I think I'll call her again today to 'check in' on her situation.