Mayor to Undergo Cancer Treatment

If you see Mayor Dave Glass at fewer functions over the next couple of months, it’s not because he’s shirking his mayor duties. Glass, 64, was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer and will start treatment next week.

“It’s 100 percent curable and treatable and not going to stand in the way of my duties to the city,” Glass told Petaluma Patch. “I don’t anticipate having to miss any meetings, but I will be taking time away from some community events.”

The mayor said he decided to share the news with the community because he is invited to dozens of events each month and did not want to have to explain his health situation each time. He starts treatment on Tuesday, which is expected to continue for six weeks.

“Treatment is known and effective and will only affect my availability in the short term,” says Glass, who was elected last fall. “I’m 64 and I figure that’s just middle age.”

More than 70,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, according to the Mayo Clinic. Bladder cancer has been linked to smoking, artificial sweeteners and exposure to certain manufacturing chemicals like those found in paints and paint thinners.