Monday, February 07, 2005

Edwards gets rid of mole

Newsobserver.com

Edwards gets rid of mole



By ROB CHRISTENSEN, Staff Writer

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- John Edwards was frequently asked about the large mole on his lip during last year's national elections. Radio personality Don Imus even gigged him for "that thing on your lip."

Now the mole is gone, or at least barely visible. But Edwards said part of it was removed to provide a medical biopsy, rather than for any cosmetic reasons.

"I didn't want to do it," Edwards said in an interview before a speech to a Democratic dinner. "What the doctor told me last summer when I got the physical for the v.p. thing that the thing on your lip has gotten bigger and could be skin cancer and you need to get it biopsied."

Edwards said he couldn't do it in the middle of the campaign. But he decided to have it done several weeks ago -- especially in light of his wife, Elizabeth, being diagnosed with breast cancer. The mole turned out to be benign.