Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Says His Family Has 'a Road Ahead' Following His Wife's Breast Cancer Diagnosis: ‘It’s Not An Easy Thing When This Happens’

The governor's comments come on the heels of last week's news that his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, 41, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Tuesday's remarks were his first public comments on the matter since announcing the diagnosis. The family hasn't revealed what stage or type of breast cancer Casey has, or where she's being treated.

But on Tuesday, the governor said Casey has already met with doctors. "We've been in and out of getting medical (help) already, and she's like the healthiest person in the whole hospital," he said.

Related: Casey DeSantis, 41, Wife of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Before Casey served as the First Lady of Florida to the 46th governor of the state, she was a producer and Emmy award-winning television host for the PGA Tour. She and Gov. DeSantis have been married since 2010 and have three children together Madison, 4; Mason, 3; and Mamie, 18 months. On Tuesday, the governor also acknowledged the toll the diagnosis has taken on their family unit.

"It's not an easy thing when this happens," he said. "Your life is going, then all of a sudden this is something that puts that in the balance. So it's not been easy as we deal with that as a family."

Discovering Casey's Cancer; the Importance of Screening

On Tuesday, Gov. DeSantis said that his wife's cancer was discovered after she "had a feeling" that she needed to get a breast cancer screening. "It wasn't like she was in a lot of pain," he said. "She just had a feeling she needed to do it, so thank God that she did."

Aggressive Breast Cancer in Young Women

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.

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, tells 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.

Screening is Imperative

The American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 40 to 44 have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening such as a mammogram if they wish to do so. But women ages 45 to 54 should definitely get a mammogram every year.

When Should I Get a Mammogram?

Dr. Connie Lehman, a director of the breast imaging clinic at Mass General Hospital in Boston, tells SurvivorNet in a previous interview that it's very important for women to get a mammogram every year, especially if you haven't yet gone through menopause.

"We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be life-saving," Lehman says. "After menopause, it may be perfectly acceptable to reduce that frequency to every two years."

The Florida governor has the same message for women (and men).

"These screenings and the things that you do can really, really be life-saving," he said. "Make sure you go in and do that when the physicians tell you to."

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.