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Politics

Sen. Dorothy Hukill Announces Aggressive Cancer Recurrence, Decision to Abandon Re-Election, Seek Hospice Care

September 28, 2018 - 5:00pm
Sen. Dorothy Hukill
Sen. Dorothy Hukill

Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, who missed the whole of the 2017 legislative session battling cervical cancer, has had a recurrence of the disease. She wrote in a Friday Facebook post that she will seek hospice care.

“Unfortunately, I have recently experienced an aggressive recurrence of this cancer,” Hukill said. “Along with my family, I have made the difficult decision to enter hospice care and no longer seek treatment ...”

She said it means she must withdraw from her Republican-leaning District 14 re-election race in which she was heavily favored. District 14 covers southern Volusia County and northern Brevard County, including DeLand, Deltona, Titusville and Cocoa.

Four hours after her Facebook posting, Hukill had received 491 comments and 91 shares.

Senate President Joe Negron delivered the news to Hukill's Senate colleagues and a personal statement of concern in a solemn note. 

"Today, I share with you the news Senator Hukill is again facing serious health issues," Negron wrote. "Senator Hukill is a tireless, passionate and selfless advocate for her constituents. Even in her times of greatest medical challenge, she has remained steadfast in representing her community. On behalf of the Senate, I offer our thoughts and prayers to her and her family in this difficult time."

After her year of cancer treatment, Hukill, 72, returned to the Senate in 2018 and chaired the Senate Education Committee.

Hukill was set to face Cocoa Democrat Melissa Martin, a retired Marine Corps major and an organizational leader on anti-corruption and environmental issues.

Martin told the Orlando Sentinel, “I’m devastated. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family and her friends. It’s hard to even think about the campaign today.”

Following the resignation, local Republican officials will follow procedure, meeting to determine who will stand in her place. The ballot won't change, Hukill's name will still appear, but voters will receive a notice saying a vote for Sen. Dorothy Hukill will count for her replacement.

The Sentinel also was able to reach incoming Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton. “I am deeply saddened by the news today from Senator Hukill’s family on her declining health,” Galvano, R-Bradenton, told the newspaper. “Dorothy is a longtime, dear friend and my heart breaks at this news. I know my friend to be a fighter and she has battled this terrible disease with everything she has. Julie and I send our prayers to Dorothy and her family at his time.”

Hukill's public service career began as mayor of Port Orange and as a council member for Ponce Inlet. She was first elected to the Florida House in 2004, then moved to the Senate in 2012.

Hukill left on the Facebook post heartfelt thanks to all in her life.

“I have so enjoyed serving you and the people of Florida,” Hukill wrote. “To all of my friends, supporters, constituents, colleagues, and my dedicated staff who have all done so much on behalf of the people we've served: thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

 

Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith

Comments

Senator Hukill served her District well. She will be remembered and honored for years to come. Thank you Senator Hukill. I will pray for you and your family.

Dear Senatot Hukill My heart goes out to you in your difficult decision. May God be with you and your family in your time of need. I'm sure we don't share the same political beliefs, but that's irrelevant today.

She is yet another Republican who opposes universal health care, yet dying of the big C.

After that disgusting comment, you must be a democrat!

I would call you a pig, but that would be insulting an intelligent animal.

So brave of you to leave a disgusting comment like that. You forgot to leave your name in the post. What your to ashamed that your friends and family will see you're true colors ?

You really need to go jump off the Sunshine Skyway bridge! Your insensitive comment shows your stupid Socialist! Your idology goes against the Constitution!

Now that's a disgusting and ugly comment. Be ashamed. I forgot, Democrats have NO shame, compassion or ethics.

You need to go someplace else with your hurtful comments. Sen Hukill has been a role model, incredible public servant, and caring woman. So heartless of you to say these things at this point in her life. I pray that one day you will have compassion of others.

How bout you have some compassion for your fellow Americans who cannot afford treatment, instead of sweeping them under the rug.

Crawl back under your blue rock, Inappropriate Joe. There's a time and a place.

You all gang up on the original commenter because you cant see the point. Cancer shouldn't be treated at the emergency room, it's too late. But preventive care isn't available to millions of your fellow Americans. That was part of the whole point of the ACA. I've been through cancer, am not 5 years cured so I'm not a survivor, I lost both parents to cancer. In my case, timely diagnosis was possible because I had the ability through insurance, to discover it. *** cancer, in particular, strikes women of lower socio economic status because it is frequently discovered too late. Good luck to Mrs. Huykill, I hope she beats it, and I have no idea what her position on universal health care is. When public figures go through cancer, it actually IS the time and place to address the disparities. Tell me cancer hasn't hit someone in your immediate family? Now it's back under the rock.

Not sure why the filter blanked out the type of cancer predominant among women, starts with "b".

Comments are now closed.

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