State Rep. Hoa Nguyen, D-Portland, listens during a filing day event in the Oregon House on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
A Democratic state representative in Oregon is undergoing treatment for advanced cancer, she announced Friday after weeks of missing votes and committee hearings.
Rep. Hoa Nguyen, D-Portland, said Friday that she has a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and has started chemotherapy, which will keep her from physically attending committee hearings or votes on legislation.
“This is a challenging time for me, but I am fortunate to have an incredible team of doctors supporting me,” Nguyen said in a written statement.
She said her staff will provide constituent services and ensure that work continues on her top projects: bills addressing chronic absenteeism and the child care caucus, a coalition of lawmakers, families, community groups, labor unions and businesses that works to improve access to child care.
“I am confident the House Democratic Caucus will continue to protect the interests of Oregonians, and my voice will be part of that effort,” Nguyen added. “I look forward to being back on my feet soon to continue serving HD 48.”
Nguyen’s statement didn’t identify the type of cancer, and neither her office nor a spokesperson for House Democrats responded to follow-up questions. Stage 4 or metastatic cancer is the most advanced stage and indicates that cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It’s harder to treat than earlier stages, and a patient’s prognosis varies depending on the type of cancer and other health factors.
Another Democratic representative, freshman Sarah Finger McDonald of Corvallis, is also undergoing treatment for colon cancer, with chemotherapy sessions scheduled once every two weeks. McDonald, who had two previous rounds of treatment, told the Capital Chronicle that she learned to juggle constituent work with cancer treatment during an earlier bout while she was a member of the Corvallis school board. She spoke publicly about her cancer diagnoses in part to remind people to get screenings — national health experts recently recommended that colon cancer screenings begin at age 45 instead of 50.
The full House has met only once or twice a week so far this session, as most work is done in committees. Nguyen missed all but one floor session in February.
She’s the vice chair of the House Early Childhood and Human Services Committee and a member of the House Education Committee and Ways and Means subcommittee on education. Nguyen hasn’t attended any committee meetings since Feb. 6, a review of posted meeting video shows.
Nguyen’s statement said she may attend committee meetings remotely while undergoing chemotherapy. A spokeswoman for House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, didn’t respond to a call or email asking about whether Nguyen will also be able to vote remotely. Many states made such allowances during the COVID pandemic.
Nguyen made history in 2022 as one of a record five Vietnamese American legislators elected to the state House. She served on the David Douglas School Board and worked as a student and community engagement specialist for the Clackamas Education Service District.
Her 48th House District, which includes southeast Portland and surrounding suburbs, is one of the Legislature’s most competitive. She defeated Republican John Masterman, owner of a transmission repair shop, in both 2022 and 2024, winning by just more than 600 votes in 2022 and more than 1,700 votes in 2024.
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