He’s had colon cancer for a while but he was still booking events up to a couple days ago

Wow this is really sad. Was only 61.

I had no idea he was sick This is a shock to me.

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So sorry to hear this! Prayers for his family.

https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/congressman-donald-mceachin-dies-at-61/article_a43716c5-1c6b-53db-a601-17fb27c6f8fc.html

Didn’t he recently win his re-election?

Just a couple of weeks ago

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I find this so upsetting. A Richmond community leader no matter your politics.

Sorry to hear this! Regardless of your politics, I’d hope we can all get behind early screening - something he was passionate about

Had no idea he was sick. That's terrible.

Does youngkin pick his replacement?

No. A special election is to be held

Phew..

I bet Stoney throws his hat in that ring.

I was just thinking this is actually Stoney's best shot. It was drawn to be a black democratic district, and Stoney is normally a weak candidate to my mind - but a special election changes the calculus.

Ugh....... hopefully there will be some vigorous jockeying and someone else emerges..

Denial is powerful. :(

And he died from the same (generally) cancer that Chadwick Boseman had.

Get screened. (I'm getting scoped on Thursday...)

so this has me worried. when are you supposed to get screened? what are the signs. is it one of those once you reach a certain age thing? i suppose i should talk to my doctor.

This seems like a Jennifer McClellan move-up potential, given it's a chunk of her current district in eastern Richmond and beyond and she has higher office aspirations after running for GOV?

good god the gerrymander on this district. Not as bad as some, but still.

I am not a doctor, but I'm almost 49 and can tell you what I know.

First off, the medical community and health care insurers have different opinions on the age where people in general should get screened.

If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, doctors will tell you to get screened as young as 40. My doctor started getting serious about recommending it at 45, and that's when I found out that my insurance was like "whoa, dude, you don't need it until 50!" But then I found out my grandfather had had colon cancer in his 70s and that shifted the equation in my favor.

I don't think there are early, easy* to detect signs for colorectal. You're not going to feel lumps like breast or testicular cancers, so it's pretty much going to be an invasive medical exam unless your doctor is okay with the "poop in a bag and send it in" method.

And I think it's the pain-in-the-ass butt probing method that makes a lot of people avoid it, but it's under general anesthesia (awesome nap) and you'll lose five pounds easily during the prep, so I absolutely see it as a win.

I would rather her then stoney for sure.

thanks for the reply. this makes me feel better since I don't have any family history of cancer. i just hate seeing these diagnosed to dead in under a year stories. scares the shit out of me.

I suspect that a lot of times, people have symptoms that they just talk themselves out of worrying over. Sort of the opposite of hypochondria.

A co-worker I used to have talked about how every year, his birthday present to himself was to get a physical and go for every screening that his doctor recommended, because he loved his life so much that he didn't want to ever be caught by surprise. It was the most positive, life-affirming way I've ever heard to talk yourself into seeing a doctor, and I've adopted it since I hit my mid-40s and needed a reality check over getting "old."

i do the same. sans the wife. yearly physical, optomoligist, and bi annual teeth cleaning. super easy and free with any basic insurance. no reason not to and it will avoid so many expensive problems when you really get old.

I already have a history of colon cancer in my family and am also predisposed even more because I have PSC and can get other complications. I'm 34 and get screened about every other year. Twice since my diagnosis. The prep sucks, but they have pills instead of drinking a nasty liquid. and it's an amazing nap. Colon cancer is generally a slow growing cancer.

it's going to be fascinating. And scary. But I think this is Stoney's best shot. No ramp up and he actually has a lot of democratic party support which helps in a low turn out special.

I bet he runs. Not a strong bet, but it seems like he can shoot his shot without resigning even.

In which case, who will be running for mayor?

it was definitely drawn to make sure a black democrat would win it. But it's better than it used to be if you look

Charles in Richmond for mayor.

oh god no. Though you would love my focus, it would be all sewers roads and street cleaning.

I just want to see someone who is obsessed with that. And cutting the grass. And fixing the bureaucracy

Congressman McEachin was diagnosed back in 2013 or 2014 and had rare complications that arose from the treatment.

CDC says you can wait until you're 45 unless you have family history. (In my case, my doc wanted me to get a baseline colonoscopy 10 years before the age at which my family member was diagnosed. Because my mother was diagnosed in her late 30s, I was supposed to get one in my late 20s.)

They didn't do general anesthesia for mine, it was the "twilight" stuff, but even though they say you might not be asleep from the twilight stuff, it always puts me out.

Congressman McEachin was a thoughtful champion for justice, and played a particularly important role as a leader in the state senate. I will miss him.

Think that Stoney is eyeballing that?

Danger-moose would shit his pants.

Stoney needs to go work as a garage collector. He's effectively ruined this city. Not sure who will step up to take McEachin's place, but it better be someone worthy, and Stoney isn't it.

I hope not. Would hate to think how he'd work to ruin us while in DC.