Legislator has rare disease
Having been absent from the Legislature for nearly two weeks, State Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) said through a spokeswoman Friday that she has been diagnosed with a rare but manageable disease that affects her autoimmune system.
Runner, best known as an author of the state law requiring tracking of sex offenders, has been diagnosed with limited scleroderma, which normally affects the skin, but in her case has also caused lung problems, said spokeswoman Kayla Garcia.
As a result, when the 53-year-old lawmaker catches a cold, the effects on her breathing can be more severe.
Runner’s doctor has given approval for her to continue to serve in the Legislature, Garcia said. “It is nowhere near life-threatening,” she said.
-- Patrick McGreevy
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