Snohomish County Council Chairman Mike Cooper battling cancer

EVERETT — Snohomish County Council Chairman Mike Cooper announced Sunday that he is battling cancer.

Cooper was hospitalized on July 15 and placed on dialysis. Doctors later diagnosed him with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.

“Myeloma is a treatable and controllable cancer that my family and I intend to face head-on,” Cooper said in a statement.

He was planning to return to his office the week of Aug. 3.

The councilman is currently on a pre-planned vacation.

Cooper, 57, lives in Edmonds and represents southwestern Snohomish County. He is midway through his first four-year term. His colleagues chose him to serve as this year’s chairman.

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Cooper is a retired fire lieutenant. A University of Cincinnati study suggests that firefighters have a 50 percent greater chance of getting multiple myeloma than the general population, he said.

Cooper said he began chemotherapy Friday.

“I am looking forward to seeing my grandchildren grow up,” he said.

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