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Thyroid problem forced Governor General to miss work: office

Last Updated: Thursday, April 26, 2007 | 12:13 PM ET

CBC News

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean's recent absence from work stemmed from a malfunction of her thyroid gland, her office says.

Jean, 49, had to cancel planned functions and take time off work starting on April 19. She was back on the job in Ottawa on Wednesday to greet Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom, who is on an official visit to Canada.

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean chats with Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Wednesday.
(Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

Her absence had initially been blamed on exhaustion. However, the Governor General's office now says her doctor recommended she take a few days off because of problems with her thyroid gland.

"Her Excellency’s thyroid gland was not functioning normally, which caused her to suffer from acute fatigue," the office said in a news release.

About one in three Canadians have some type of thyroid disorder, according to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. The disorders are up to seven times more common in women.

Most of the conditions are treatable and have a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, anxiety and tremors.

Jean has a hectic schedule with a lot of travel.

Among her commitments in recent weeks, she visited the Canadian war memorial at Vimy Ridge in early April for the 90th anniversary of the famous battle and then travelled to Trenton, Ont., for the arrival of the bodies of six Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

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Internal Links

Governor General exhausted, needs rest, says report
IN DEPTH: Governor General

External Links

Thyroid Foundation of Canada
Governor General's news release

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