‘Didn’t want a pity vote’: Councilman James Mitchell reveals battle with cancer

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte City Councilman James Mitchell has revealed his battle with bladder cancer, which resurfaced earlier this year, while successfully running for re-election.

Mitchell, who has served as a councilman for 23 years, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in February after previously being in remission following treatment in 2021.

Despite his health challenges, he ran for re-election and won, keeping his diagnosis private to avoid influencing voters.

“I didn’t want a pity vote, and I didn’t want people to second-guess if I was able to do this and serve them for another two years,” Mitchell explained about his decision to keep his diagnosis hidden during the election.

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Mitchell’s cancer resurfaced in February, and he admitted to neglecting his annual check-ups, which could have caught the recurrence earlier.

“We have a tendency to, in our minds, convince ourselves that things are gonna clear up, and it never did,” he said.

His wife, Joan Higginbotham, noticed symptoms, but Mitchell initially hid the severity from her.

“I was hiding it; I would go upstairs … because it was so painful. It was painful, and there were traces of blood that she would see,” Mitchell recounted.

Mitchell underwent two surgeries, the first in March, removing 80% of the cancer, and a second, more invasive surgery in April, which involved the removal of his bladder and prostate.

“It had spread into my prostate, so in a three-and-a-half-hour surgery, both my bladder and prostate were removed,” Mitchell said.

Despite the physical changes, including a stoma and a bag, Mitchell remains active and is cancer-free.

He receives immunotherapy every three weeks and participates in a newly launched bladder cancer support group at Novant Health Cancer Institute.

The group holds meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 2 p.m., starting Oct. 16 at the Novant Health Cancer Institute Kemp Bessant Support Center.

Mitchell’s story highlights the importance of regular health checkups and early detection.

He encourages others not to delay medical visits, emphasizing that earlier intervention might have prevented the extent of his surgeries.

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