Chicago cardinal faces 2nd bout with cancer

9/8/2012

CHICAGO — Cardinal Francis George, in his second bout with cancer, said he feels anxious but ready to begin chemotherapy.

He made the comments Sept. 1 before Mass at St. Joseph Parish, a Roman Catholic church on the South Side that celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Six years ago, surgeons removed his bladder, prostate, and part of his right ureter after discovering that he had bladder cancer. Last month, he announced cancer had been found in his right kidney and liver.

His chemotherapy treatment is slated to begin Wednesday and last four months.

"I haven't been through it before. I didn't have chemo when I had bladder cancer the first time, so I don't know what to expect," said Cardinal George, former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Cardinal George, 75, leads the 2 million-member Chicago archdiocese. He has said he will scale back his public schedule.