Former US president with cancer evades medical treatment

Washington Former US President Jimmy Carter wants to spend the remaining time at home with his family after a series of hospital stays. The 98-year-old decided on palliative care at home instead of further medical steps, the foundation he founded announced on Saturday. “He has the full support of his family and medical team,” it said. At the same time, the Carter Center asked that privacy be respected.

The Democratic politician from the southern state of Georgia was President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 until he died on republican Ronald Reagan was replaced. He is the oldest living former president. His successors Reagan and George Bush died in 2004 and 2018 respectively. He has been married to his wife Rosalynn (95) for 76 years.

Carter’s health has deteriorated in recent months, the Washington Post and other US media reported. He now uses a wheelchair and his wife needs a walking aid. Grandson Jason Carter tweeted on Sunday: “I saw both of my grandparents yesterday. They are at peace and, as always, their home is full of love.” He now chairs the foundation’s board of directors.

Jimmy Carter announced in 2015 that he had liver cancer. Melanomas were also discovered in his brain. A year later he announced that he had overcome the disease. In November 2019, the former peanut farmer made it clear at a church service in his hometown of Plains that he faces death with serenity. “I didn’t ask God to let me live,” he said. “I asked God to give me an appropriate attitude towards death.”

In the past few weeks, Carter has asked for trips around his birthplace, Plains, US media reported. For his 98th birthday almost five months ago, the small town organized a parade for him. A week earlier, Carter and his wife were driven through the streets in a red convertible to celebrate the annual Peanut Festival.

Today’s President Joe Biden, who had repeatedly expressed his admiration for Carter, had been informed of his fellow party member’s state of health. The 80-year-old – also from the Democrats – is in close contact with the family, the broadcaster CNN reported.

Carter was the 39th President of the USA, but only for one term. He lost the 1980 presidential election to Reagan. His reign was overshadowed above all by the kidnapping of diplomats in the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and the unsuccessful liberation operation the following year. In 1982 he and his wife founded the Carter Center for the Advancement of Democracy, Human Rights and Economic Development in Atlanta.

In 2002 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his worldwide commitment to conflict resolution. Carter also repeatedly interfered in US politics. Contrary to custom, he also criticized subsequent presidents – most recently the republican donald trump.

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