Casey DeSantis's Cancer Battle
- Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer in October.
- Since her diagnosis, she has spoken publicly about her battle and advocated for expanded access to screening.
- This month, the First Lady announced that her husband plans to increase Florida's funding for cancer research and screening by 60% in his new budget.
In October, DeSantis, 41, revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She didn't initially experience any symptoms, but a vague sense of uneasiness drove her to schedule a visit with her OB-GYN. "Internally something was telling me that something wasn't right," she said.
Read MoreDeSantis Used Platform to Raise Screening Awareness
Many cancer fighters opt to battle the disease privately, but instead, DeSantis has used her platform to encourage the people of Florida to be proactive about their health. She remained in-state to be treated at Moffitt Cancer Center. Supporting children and mental health resources were priorities in the First Lady's activism pre-pandemic–and now, she’s taken up cancer awareness as well. Within weeks of being diagnosed with breast cancer, DeSantis was back making public appearances and talking about the need for expanded cancer screening. This month, she made headlines with her announcement that that her husband plans to boost Florida's funding for cancer research and screening by 60% in his new budget. Speaking at the Moffitt Cancer Center, she took a personal approach. "It can happen to you. It can happen to anybody and you save yourself so much pain and anguish if you go in early and you get those screenings,” she said.Dr. Elizabeth Comen explains that there are some things that you may be able to change in your life to reduce your breast cancer risk, and others that you cannot change.
But aside from this pain and anguish, DeSantis acknowledged that her diagnosis has allowed her to connect with many people who have struggled just like she has. "Ever since my cancer diagnosis, the amount of people who have come up to me and have said they know somebody who has been impacted by cancer, and what it's done to their family…I can't even begin to tell you the number of people and their heartfelt stories."
DeSantis's work for cancer patients is an inspiring example of how people can make their challenges meaningful by trying to help others. This year, the Florida First Lady showed us that cancer doesn't need to hold you back from public service.
When Should You Get a Mammogram?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast cancer mostly occurs among older women, but it's possible for women under the age of 45 like Casey DeSantis to be diagnosed with this type of cancer. About 9% of all new breast cancer cases in the U.S. are found in women younger than 45.
Breast Cancer in Young Women
Most breast cancers are found in women over the age of 50
of breast cancers are diagnosed in women under age 45
But in some ways, a diagnosis for a younger woman can often be even more devastating, Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. This is because the cancer is likely to be a more aggressive form of the disease and also at an advanced stage, as screening for younger women is not standard.
Women aged 45 and 54 should have annual mammograms; women with a history of breast cancer in their families should begin screening even earlier.
In an earlier interview, Dr. Connie Lehman, the chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, emphasized how mammograms save lives. "If you haven't gone through menopause yet, I think it's essential that you have a mammogram every year,” she advised. “We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be lifesaving.”
There is wide consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. Learn more from our expert, Dr. Connie Lehman.
Five Ways You Can Support People You Know with Cancer
Casey Desantis’s discussion about connecting with other survivors is also an important part of the cancer conversation. With all the physical and emotional changes that go hand in hand with cancer, having a good support team is essential. According to Dr. Shelley Tworoger, a researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center, people undergo an "extreme amount of stress" during a cancer journey.
"There's a number of common things cancer patients can experience such as anxiety, depression, financial toxicity, social isolation and sometimes even PTSD," she told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.
Below are SurvivorNet's five ways to support your loved ones with cancer:
- Avoid asking, try doing. Although it's understandable to not know how to best support your loved one during their cancer journey, it can be equally as hard for them to voice exactly what they need or want from you. Instead of always asking, "How can I help you?" maybe try saying something more concrete like, "Hey, can I come over at 8? I'll bring monopoly." If you offer specific ways to support rather than ask for things they need, it's likely to come across as more genuine and feel easier for them to accept the support or help.
- Stay in touch, but "don't say stupid things." You might never be able to truly understand the battle your loved one is facing, but being a person they feel comfortable talking through some of their negative emotions with can make a big difference. That being said, breast cancer survivor Catherine Gigante-Brown says there are some topics you might want to avoid. "Don't burden us with stories about your Great Aunt Harriet who had breast cancer," she previously told SurvivorNet. "And then you say, 'Oh how's she doing?' And then they'll say, 'Oh, she died.' We don't need to hear the horror stories."
- Offer to cook them a meal. Consider inviting them over for dinner, dropping off a special dish, or, if that's not possible, sending a gift basket with some pick-me-up goodies. If you're able to cook for them, perhaps try to make a healthy meal that will bring them joy. Remember that there's no specialized diet that has been found to fight cancer, but it's always a good idea to maintain a moderate diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as fats and proteins. No matter what, it's the simple gesture of providing a meal that will make them feel loved and supported.
- Try helping them find joy. There's no one right way to do it, but try to think of activities you can do with your loved one that will lift them up. It could be something as simple as watching a funny TV series together, having a wine and paint night, taking a drive to a beautiful place or starting a book club with them. We've seen in previous studies that patients with better emotional health have a better quality of life when going through treatment and actually tend to live longer than those with worse emotional well-being. Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, says "better quality of life is associated with better survival, better outcomes… having a good social network can be very helpful."
- Be involved. If you've take on more of a full-time caregiving role, work to understand your loved one's diagnosis and help them follow the instructions from the cancer-care team. "I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.," Dr. Jayanthi Lea, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
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