Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis of Georgia is undergoing treatment for stage four pancreatic cancer, his office announced Sunday. “I have been in some kind of fight—for freedom, equality, basic human rights—for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now,” Lewis, 79, said in a statement. “This month in a routine medical visit, and subsequent tests, doctors discovered Stage IV pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis has been reconfirmed.” The Democrat has represented Georgia’s 5th Congressional District since 1986. He also addressed his constituents, saying, “being your representative in Congress is the honor of a lifetime,” and adding that he will return to Washington in the “coming days” to continue his work.