In a news release, Beane stated that with this type of cancer, the prognosis is good and he expects to make a full recovery.
He said he’ll begin radiation treatments to his tongue and throat soon, and it will last seven weeks.
"I expect to full recovery," he said. "But I will be going through some things that will be noticeable."
Beane said he wanted to share his diagnosis, because he expects visual side effects from the chemotherapy.
“… weight loss, hair falling out,” he said. “Things that when you physically look at me, you can tell that something's not right. And you know, just how the body reacts to the treatment with the chemotherapy and radiation that people can see.”
He’ll also have a little trouble eating. He likened the effects of radiation treatment to the tongue, to a sunburn, on the tongue.
Beane received his diagnosis two weeks ago, after swollen lymph nodes lead to a biopsy.
Since then he’s been creating a specific diet and preparing physically for the ordeal, which he says could lead to his first city council meeting absence of his four-year term — at least physically.
“I want people to understand that I take this job very seriously,” he said. “And if for some reason I can't physically come to one of those meetings, is because I physically can't; it's not because I don't want to, or I have something else I'd rather be doing. I'm not going on vacation.”
He said he might also miss knocking on some doors as he campaigns for city council again, and hopes his diagnosis doesn’t invite doubts in his abilities to do the job.
“But trust me, I'm doing everything that I can to get myself, right,” Beane said. “And I plan to finish not only finish his term, but serve another four year term, if it's the will of the people.”
His treatments will continue up to election day, and the effects will last beyond November. He should have an idea if the treatments worked, in January.
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