Lincoln Board of Education member Lanny Boswell has announced that he will resign from his seat at the end of his current term.
Boswell, who has served on the school board since 2013, announced on social media Monday that he will not seek re-election after his current term ends in May.
Boswell was diagnosed with oral cancer in August last year and has since undergone several surgeries, including removal of the tumor, his tongue and his larynx.
His cancer diagnosis did not prevent him from serving on the board. Boswell was acting chairman at the time of his diagnosis and continued to serve as chairman during his treatment. Since he can no longer speak, he uses a text-to-speech application on his mobile phone to communicate.
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He recently completed six rounds of chemotherapy, and although his cancer has not spread, a tumor is still present, Boswell told the Journal Star in an email Tuesday. To continue fighting the cancer, he will undergo ongoing treatment in the form of immunotherapy, given every three weeks for the next two years.
As his final term comes to an end, Boswell plans to spend more time with his family and focus on his battle with cancer. He is looking forward to spending more time with his one-year-old grandson and possibly traveling to England with his brother to research family history.
In the meantime, he plans to continue serving the Lincoln community.
“Serving on the Lincoln Board of Education has been an incredibly fulfilling way to give back to our community. Our board works together as a team and together we have accomplished a lot over the past twelve years,” he said. “…I have met so many caring and dedicated people, both in our schools and in our community. They are the people I will miss the most and who give me confidence that I am leaving the district in good hands.”