TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The governor released a statement on the 41-year-old’s diagnosis, Monday morning.
“I am saddened to report that Florida’s esteemed First Lady and my beloved wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. As the mother of three young children, Casey is the centerpiece of our family and has made an impact on the lives of countless Floridians through her initiatives as First Lady. As she faces the most difficult test of her life, she will have not only have my unwavering support but the support of our entire family, as well as the prayers and well wishes from Floridians across our state. Casey is a true fighter, and she will never, never, never give up.”
It remains unclear when she received the diagnosis.
Casey is at the age when general surgeon Dr. Lauren Allen said most women should start getting screened for breast cancer.
“I recommend all women start getting screened if they’re at average risk at the age of 40 years old,” she said, “and then, if you have any kind of family history, or if you’ve had previous radiation to the chest or anything like that, talk to your doctor about maybe getting screened earlier.”
Allen, who specializes in breast cancer, told 7News it’s very treatable, but the governor’s statement didn’t share any key information, like how far along the cancer is.
“The treatment is really dependent more on the stage of the cancer, so the earlier that you find it, the smaller the tumor,” she said. “If it hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes or any of the other organs, the better the prognosis is.”
Well wishes from all politcal persuasions flooded Twitter as Casey DeSantis became a trending topic Monday.
Statistics from the CDC show that one of every four deaths in the U.S. is from cancer. In 2018, Florida had the second-highest number of new breast cancer diagnoses. Only California had more.
Casey, an Ohio native, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the College of Charleston.
First Lady DeSantis is also a three-time National Champion equestrian and earned an Emmy for on-air talent while working in Jacksonville.
Eighteen months ago, Casey gave birth to her family’s third child. The DeSantis family has two other children, ages 4 and 3.
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