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Most cancers just isn’t a illness that occurs in a single day.
It usually creeps up slowly, silently, and with out warning — revealing itself in among the very unlikely methods.
That’s precisely what occurred to U.S. Congress Rep. Joaquin Castro.
Amid a automotive accident involving a Spanish boar in Spain, Castro acquired some devastating information — he had neuroendocrine most cancers.
Whereas a treatable type of most cancers, Castro received’t get to ring the bell signaling the tip of his therapy.
For Castro, therapy continues at UT Well being San Antonio.
“Until one thing modifications, I’ll have most cancers for the remainder of my life, however fortunately, and hopefully, most cancers received’t take my life,” he stated throughout an address to the 2024 Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos And All Populations Conference.
Castro’s analysis got here as a shock, however it motivated him to make a fair larger effort to enhance the well being of the communities he serves.
Joaquin Castro and His San Antonio Upbringing
Born in San Antonio on September 16, 1974, Castro is proud to name The Alamo Metropolis house.
As a second era Mexican American, Castro’s household immigrated to Texas greater than 100 years in the past, according to the congressman’s official biography.
He was raised on the West Facet of San Antonio and attended public college.
Whereas rising up in San Antonio, Castro developed an curiosity in public service after watching his mother and father turn out to be concerned in political actions and civil rights.
With a retired schoolteacher for a father and a mom, who was a group chief, Castro grew a deep understanding and respect for the democratic course of and realized learn how to serve a group.
It could have a big impact on him later in life.
After graduating highschool, Castro went on to attend Standford College, the place he graduated with honors in 1996. From there, he went to Harvard Legislation Faculty and acquired his Juris Doctorate in 2000.
At age 28, Castro returned house to San Antonio and joined a non-public regulation apply.
That’s when his profession in politics would start.
Joaquin Castro and His Profession in Politics
Across the time, Castro was elected to the Texas Legislature. He served 5 phrases because the state consultant for District 125.
As a state legislator, Castro helped “restore thousands and thousands of {dollars} in funding to essential well being care and teaching programs,” according to his official biography.
Throughout his time within the state legislature, he served as Vice Chairman of the Larger Training Committee and Democratic Ground Chief the place he proposed psychological well being, teen being pregnant, and juvenile regulation reforms.
In 2012, he ran for and was elected to a seat within the U.S. Home of Representatives, the place he represents Texas’ 20th Congressional District, which spans components of San Antonio and Bexar County.
Castro is now serving his seventh time period within the U.S. Home, the place he serves on the Home International Affairs Committee and the Home Everlasting Choose Committee on Intelligence.
In 2013, Castro was Co-President for the Home freshman Democrats and the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for the 116th Congress, according to his official biography.
Joaquin Castro and His Neighborhood Service
Whereas serving a bigger public, Castro continues to offer again domestically.
Castro created the Trailblazers School Tour, which helps elevate cash to ship college students on school visits. He additionally began SA READS, a literacy marketing campaign and e-book drive that advantages youngsters, faculties, and shelters throughout San Antonio.
In assist of grandparents and different members of the family elevating youngsters who aren’t their very own, he started the annual Households Serving to Households dinner and awards.
Joaquin additionally provides again by instructing regulation at St. Mary’s College and serves as an adjunct professor at Trinity College.
Joaquin Castro and His Most cancers Analysis
On the peak of his profession, Castro was recognized with neuroendocrine most cancers in 2023 whereas on a visit to Spain.
One evening Castro was the passenger of a automotive going 70 miles an hour when unexpectedly the motive force struck a wild boar.
“It was so fast. It was a type of issues the place in my thoughts, I noticed it seem in entrance of us. And I believed, wait a minute, we’re headed proper for this factor. We’re gonna hit it in a sec. After which, growth,” the politician recalled in a podcast with Texas Public Radio.
Whereas the accident didn’t trigger main injury to both the automotive or the individuals inside, Castro was taken to the hospital to be seemed over.
It was there that physicians made a startling discovery.
Castro was informed that he had two neuroendocrine tumors that had moved up his small gut and into his liver.
“I needed to ask [the doctor] once more, as a result of I couldn’t even pronounce the phrase neuroendocrine. However I knew that anytime any person’s telling you that you just’ve received tumors inside you, it’s not a superb factor, and that they unfold — even worse,” he told Texas Public Radio.
From the second he was handed his analysis, Castro’s thoughts was clouded with ideas of his household — his spouse and three younger youngsters.
Primarily, he puzzled how a lot time he’d have left.
“That was among the hardest half … I feel to a point, individuals deal with it in another way … Nevertheless it’s all the time in your thoughts, particularly in these early days. It’s with you every single day, weighing on you, and it’s a really, very heavy, clearly, on you,” he reflected in the podcast.
“I feel there’s a sort of melancholy and disappointment, but in addition, I feel, a hope that medication will and therapy will get you thru it … And in addition, I feel, a newfound appreciation for the individuals in your life and … simply how a lot they imply you.”
However Castro wasn’t going to let this analysis be the tip.
As an alternative, he allowed it to assist form his understanding of the failings within the well being care system, giving him a brand new perspective on the problem.
Joaquin Castro and His Life with Most cancers
Following his analysis, Castro sought therapy for the sophisticated and uncommon type of most cancers.
Castro went to MD Anderson Most cancers Heart in Houston the place he had a serious surgical procedure that eliminated a part of his small gut, a part of his colon, his appendix, his gallbladder, and 44 lymph nodes, which a minimum of 20 turned out to be cancerous, he defined in the course of the podcast.
Whereas the surgical procedure was a hit, Castro wasn’t declared cancer-free and wouldn’t be for the remainder of his life.
Regardless of the surgical procedure, Castro has tumors on his liver and because of the nature of the illness he’s required to be handled month-to-month at UT Well being San Antonio to gradual tumor progress.
However Castro is likely one of the fortunate ones.
“It seems that most cancers is a much bigger risk to Latinos in South Texas than I feel most individuals take into consideration or give credit score to,” Castro informed Texas Public Radio.
Many South Texans, together with many Latinos, are unknowingly dwelling with most cancers and are solely recognized when the illness is at a a lot later, extra superior stage, contributing to larger numbers of most cancers deaths.
What’s extra, insurance coverage, or lack thereof, continues to weigh closely on South Texans recognized with most cancers.
That’s one thing that Castro needed to get hands-on expertise with.
“I needed to turn out to be an knowledgeable on insurance coverage, which I’d by no means achieved earlier than,” he stated. “I went to the physician once I wanted to, however I didn’t really want to a lot … and so I had to determine precisely deductibles and co pays and in community and out of community.”
The record value for the medicine that’s bettering Castro’s life is $24,000 earlier than insurance coverage and $1,000 after insurance coverage.
“For lots of oldsters, [that’s] crippling,” Castro commented.
Ultimately, having most cancers has opened the politician’s eyes about well being care points.
“[Cancer has] reaffirmed my perception that everyone ought to have well being care protection and that we have to transfer as a rustic in direction of common well being care protection, whether or not that’s Medicare for all or another system that covers individuals,” he said within the podcast.
Joaquin Castro and His Funding in Well being and Wellness
Since his analysis, Castro has co-sponsored a number of cancer-related legislations, together with the Metastatic Breast Most cancers Entry to Care Act and the Medicare Multi-Most cancers Early Detection Screening Protection Act.
The Metastatic Breast Most cancers Entry to Care Act waives the 24-month ready interval for Medicare and the 5-month ready interval for Social Safety Incapacity Insurance coverage to cowl advantages for eligible people with metastatic breast most cancers.
The Medicare Multi-Most cancers Early Detection Screening Protection Act seeks to broaden Medicare protection for early detection screening checks which are accepted by the Meals and Drug Administration for a number of completely different most cancers varieties.
Nevertheless, protection underneath the invoice, which will probably be enacted in 2028, is restricted to these youthful than age 68, rising by a yr yearly, and to at least one take a look at each 11 months.
This may enormously improve entry to preventative care for many who want it most and hopefully lower the variety of deaths caused by cancer.
What’s extra, Castro’s involvement in well being laws has gone past most cancers.
He’s additionally helped to advance laws that expands healthcare protection, labored on bettering entry to healthcare for seniors and youngsters with beginning defects, and championed heat-related safety for staff.
Joaquin Castro and His Dedication to Most cancers Analysis
Not solely has his most cancers analysis higher knowledgeable his legislative actions, it’s additionally affirmed the necessity for extra most cancers analysis and assist for it.
Castro has achieved this by way of exploring avenues to extend funding for analysis.
He’s achieved this by propelling funding for the Mays Most cancers Heart in addition to UT Well being San Antonio through the Neighborhood Venture Funding grant course of.
This has led to a $1 million grant to the Faculty of Public Well being at UT Well being San Antonio for constructing renovations, together with lecture rooms, workers and scholar lounges, research areas, and analysis labs.
He additionally helped obtain one other $1.9 million in grant funding for brand new devices and specialised gear, which will probably be devoted for analysis resulting in the therapy of fatty liver illness, which is a threat issue for liver illness and most cancers.
What’s extra, these contributions allowed for the event of latest chemical artificial strategies to stop liver failure.
Given the prevalence of fatty liver illness in South Texas, particularly amongst Latinos, the funding has gone to assist his group whereas honoring his dedication to most cancers analysis.
Castro has additionally been approached about assist for analysis with nationwide organizations and foundations, such because the Debbie’s Dream Foundation, which fundraises for abdomen most cancers analysis.
In February 2025, the inspiration, together with a consultant of the Institute of Well being Promotion Analysis and Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study at UT Well being San Antonio, traveled to Washington, D.C., to push lawmakers for change.
“We received to talk with these leaders who’re representing us and who’re basically the voice of the individuals and what they’re doing to assist uplift the group, how they’re doing that, and what coverage making actions can we as sufferers and as [community leaders] share with them to amplify that voice,” research scientist Dr. Derek Rodriguez stated about his time on Capitol Hill.
Not solely was Castro receptive to what they needed to say, he was in agency settlement that extra wanted to be achieved.
“He’s in the identical boat as all people else there as a result of he is aware of the group, however extra so particularly, due to his personal journey,” Rodriguez stated. “He was in a position to not solely take the time to take a seat with us, but in addition hear and to, you realize, ask questions as nicely, after which present his assist … I used to be like, ‘Are you prepared to assist analysis research like these?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, ship me the data.’ So he was very prepared, and he was very receptive to getting any and all info that we needed to share.”
Joaquin Castro Shares His Most cancers Story
His openness to sharing his most cancers journey has not solely led him to assist well being laws, however it has additionally helped convey extra consciousness to the well being points his group faces.
For his contributions to well being, Castro was lately named as one of many Affiliation of American Most cancers Institutes (AACI) Public Service Award honorees for 2025.
The award exists to “acknowledge public servants for his or her assist of the NIH, the NCI, and most cancers facilities of their respective states,” according to the AACI website.
Castro was nominated by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, chief of Salud America! and the Institute for Well being Promotion Analysis at UT Well being San Antonio, and Dr. Lei Zheng, director of the Mays Most cancers Heart at UT Well being San Antonio.
“Congressman Castro’s journey is a testomony to the ability of private expertise to form compassionate management for well being enchancment. Together with his background as a most cancers survivor, he has elevated the dialog round well being enchancment for all,” Dr. Ramirez wrote in her letter of nomination for the award.
The congressman additionally lately appeared in a special video on the 2024 Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos and All Populations Conference at UT Health San Antonio, which is helmed by Ramirez, speaking about his most cancers journey and the necessity to deal with most cancers now.
Castro continues to share his most cancers story with the general public in hopes that it could assist others whereas elevating consciousness and a necessity for coverage change.
“Most cancers doesn’t know what your politics are. Since my analysis I’ve met individuals from throughout the political spectrum who’ve been affected by it. Individuals who’ve been introduced collectively by among the worst information that you would be able to presumably get,” Castro told conference attendees. “Most cancers is a reminder that everybody ought to get the care they want … I resolve to do all the pieces I can to make it possible for most cancers is on the minds of legislators all over the place.”
