TIME John McCain

John McCain Is in ‘Stable Condition’ Following Surgery to Treat an Intestinal Infection

The Republican senator needed surgery for an infection linked to his colon

[video id=13tc4SZs ]

Sen. John McCain has undergone surgery due to an intestinal infection, his office announced Monday.

A statement said that Republican senator, who has been fighting brain cancer since a diagnosis last year, is hospitalized in a “stable condition,” The Washington Post reports.

McCain, 81, is being treated at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona for an infection linked to diverticulitis, which occurs when pouches form on the walls of the colon.

Last July, McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an intense form of brain cancer that also afflicted the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Beau Biden, the son of former vice president Joe Biden. While undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, McCain regularly attended Congress. But since December, the senator has been recovering from the effects of the treatment at his home in Arizona.

McCain’s office issues frequent updates on his health, but it has not said when or if the senator will return to Washington, the Post reports.

His daughter, Meghan McCain, tweeted that her father “continues to inspire me everyday with his intense grit and determination.”

Your browser is out of date. Please update your browser at http://update.microsoft.com


YOU BROKE TIME.COM!

Dear TIME Reader,

As a regular visitor to TIME.com, we are sure you enjoy all the great journalism created by our editors and reporters. Great journalism has great value, and it costs money to make it. One of the main ways we cover our costs is through advertising.

The use of software that blocks ads limits our ability to provide you with the journalism you enjoy. Consider turning your Ad Blocker off so that we can continue to provide the world class journalism you have become accustomed to.

The TIME Team