Katie Couric's Sister Diagnosed With Cancer

C H A R L O T T E S V I L L E, Va., July 21, 2000 -- Virginia Sen. Emily Couric, oldersister of NBC’s Today show host, announced Thursday she haspancreatic cancer and will not run for lieutenant governor nextyear.

Couric, 53, who has been considered a rising star in theVirginia Democratic Party, said she was told of the diagnosisWednesday.

“My doctors, family and I are now working on designing the bestcourse of treatment to address this cancer,” she told reporters.

End Political Campaign

Couric won a Senate seat in 1996 and had been raising money fora bid for lieutenant governor for the 2001 election.

“Many, many people have pledged their support to my candidacyfor lieutenant governor and have actually begun the hard work of along campaign,” she said. “It would not be fair … to let themcontinue when I cannot give such a campaign the time and energy itdeserves.”

Couric, who lives in Charlottesville, said she will continueserving in the General Assembly. She was elected to a secondfour-year term last year.

Her sister Katie Couric has been campaigning to raise awarenessabout colon cancer following the 1998 death of her husband, TVlegal analyst Jay Monahan, from the disease at age 42.

The Today show host held a monthlong public-awarenesscampaign in March and even underwent a colonoscopy on the air toeducate viewers about cancer tests.

On Thursday’s Today show, she interviewed guests about thedisease.