TAMPA, FL. (WSNN) – Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis traveled to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute to talk about a personal journey and share an announcement with medical experts, Tuesday.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in early October this year.
“I was always one of those people that thought it would never happen to me,” DeSantis said.
Nearly 10 million people in the world die of cancer every year, about 600,000 in the nation, and more than 40,000 in Florida.
“Don’t think that it won’t happen to you, because one of two men and one of three women will have cancer during their lifetime,” Moffitt Cancer Center’s Executive Vice President John Cleveland said. “That’s a fact. It will happen to you.”
DeSantis says she went to her OBGYN thinking something was wrong.
“I didn’t physically feel anything, but internally, something was telling me that something isn’t right,” DeSantis said.
After her OBGYN told her everything was okay, DeSantis still insisted on getting a mammogram screening.
“That’s when they found it,” DeSantis said. “And I’ll tell you what, my doctor said that could have saved your life.”
While sharing her story, the Florida First Lady announced that the Governor increased the funds for cancer research by 60-percent to 100-million dollars.
“60 percent, I think is really saying something about what you guys have done in your fields to lead the way, to earn the right to have this money to be able to do this,” DeSantis said.
Cleveland says the funds will help with jobs, high-impact research, clinical trials, and changing national policy. One main goal?
“Do first in kind clinical trials with these monies that will lead to a standard of care treatments that lead to cures,” Cleveland said.
The first lady’s message to everyone fighting this disease…
“Never give up, don’t quit, just keep fighting,” DeSantis said.
Three cancer centers across Florida are benefiting from the funds: Moffitt, University of Miami’s Sylvester Cancer Center, and University of Florida’s Shand’s Cancer Center.