Tacoma council member diagnosed with cancer. ‘I kindly ask for grace and understanding’

Tacoma deputy mayor Catherine Ushka wrote in a Facebook post Friday afternoon that she has been diagnosed with cancer.

Since 2017, Uskha has served District 4, representing parts of Eastside and South End neighborhoods. She was appointed to serve as deputy mayor in 2022.

She said in the post she was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer recently, and, while her prognosis is good, she will be undergoing treatment over the next several weeks. Ushka wrote that medical experts told her many people are able to continue to work while receiving treatment, but others experience greater fatigue.

“I kindly ask for grace and understanding, as I may not be able to attend community events and meetings as regularly as I have in the past,” she wrote. “I am committed to continuing to serve our community as much as possible, until I fully recover.”

She said in the post she looks forward “to joining the many members of our community who proudly identify as cancer survivors.”

Ushka said her commitment to her district remains as strong as ever and that she is blessed to serve with a great team of Tacoma City Council members, including the mayor, who are aware of her priorities, goals and vision. She said her council staff will help if she is unable to respond to constituent concerns.

She wrote she will start treatment as early as the next few weeks.

“Due to the quick timeframe between diagnosis and starting my treatment journey, I haven’t been able to share this news directly with many of you who I call friends,” Ushka said in the post. “I ask for your grace, as I felt it was vital to provide you with clear and accurate information.”

Ushka also serves as the president of the National Association of Local Boards of Health.

This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 1:43 PM.