Decorated Marine Visits Capitol Hill to Promote Breast Cancer Research, Reunites with Senator Wyden

Earlier this week, Senator Wyden met with a group of Oregonians fighting to find a cure for breast cancer.  And one of them has a lot of experience as a warrior. 

Retired Marine Corporal Garrett Jones from Newberg, Oregon was in Washington as part of the National Breast Cancer Coalition’s advocacy to support efforts and funding to eradicate breast cancer. Senator Wyden first met Jones in 2007 after the heavily decorated Marine had lost his leg to an IED in Iraq.  While visiting him at Bethesda Naval hospital, Wyden became so impressed with his positive attitude that the two kept in touch and even went together to a Ducks football game later that year. 

After his recovery, Jones stayed in the marines and redeployed to the front lines in Afghanistan in 2008 with a prosthetic leg.  After retiring from the Marines in 2010, Jones used his GI Bill to go to Western Oregon University to study health care, and has just been accepted to the University of Washington medical school.

Wyden is a long-time advocate and supporter of research, screenings and care for breast cancer patients and their families. 

Wyden and Jones in 2007:

Wyden and Jones in this week: