Ayotte Hears Personal Story of Resilience From Conway Native Chip Kennett

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) heard testimony today on Capitol Hill from Bayard "Chip" Kennett, a Conway native who told members of the Senate Select Committee on Aging about his personal battle with lung cancer. Kennett, a 1999 graduate of Kennett High School, is a non-smoker who received his diagnosis in the fall of 2012. As he battles his illness, Kennett is simultaneously devoting himself to raising awareness about lung cancer.

Kennett testified today: "One in every 14 people will receive a lung cancer diagnosis and due to the lack of a reliable form of early detection when the disease is more treatable, lung cancer is the most lethal form of cancer. It kills more people each year than breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers combined. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 160,000 people will lose their lives to lung cancer this year."

"This is an incredibly important issue that has touched everyone's life at some point...Chip grew up in Conway, his family...has been so involved in New Hampshire's Mount Washington Valley...you meet some people in your lives that touch you, and Chip is one of those people," said Ayotte.

She added, "This issue of investing in NIH and biomedical research is a bipartisan issue and it's an incredibly important issue - because this is an issue of finding a cure for cancer of all types that...hits Republicans, Democrats, and Independents...this is something we need to work together on."

Between 2003 and 2010, Kennett served on the legislative staffs of Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH), John E. Sununu (R-NH), and Susan Collins (R-ME). He was joined at the hearing by his wife, Sheila. They live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their two young children.

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