ELIZABETH EDWARDS REMEMBERED BY LOCAL ACTIVIST

December 11, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Services were held today for Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former presidential candidate John Edwards, who lost her battle with breast cancer.

Leon Thompson, past executive board officer in the California Democratic Party, sent an e-mail to ECM recalling his meeting with Elizabeth Edwards at the state Democratic convention in Sacramento. “She was an inspiration to me, Suzy and so many others,” said Thompson, whose wife, Suzy, later died of breast cancer. Thompson, a former Santee resident now living in Arizona, is battling cancer himself.

He provided  photos taken in Sacramento, after Edwards had undergone 12 weeks of Chemo and 30 plus radiation treatments. The cancer survived and spread past her lymph nodes to her liver and bones. "The cancer is `treatable but not curable’ was the statement issued by the campaign,’” Thompson recalled, adding that it was later revealed that Edwards was also grappling with knowledge of her husband’s infidelity while undergoing cancer treatments.

Thompson said Mrs. Edwards was gracious and beloved by all who met her.  Her husband was the vice presidential running mate with John Kerry and later ran for the presidency on his own, but dropped out of the primary after his affair with  a campaign videographer came to light, disillusioning many supporters.The couple separated a year ago, after it was revealed that John Edwards had fathered a child by his mistress.

“We all longed for a candidate who was genuine, courageous and principled. As it turned out Elizabeth was all that and more,” Thompson concluded.