CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan announced she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but said she is in excellent health and can continue working.
During a news conference on Tuesday, the former state lawmaker said she can manage her condition with no change in her job.
The Leaf-Chronicle reported she was admitted to a hospital last week for tests. MS is a chronic disease that attacks the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, and symptoms can vary from one person to another.
McMillan was first elected to the House in 1994 and was the first woman in Tennessee history to become majority leader in 2002. She retired from the Legislature in 2006.
She dropped out of the 2010 gubernatorial race and was elected as first female mayor of Clarksville.