Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has undergone surgery to remove her thyroid after being diagnosed with cancer.
The Arkansas Republican announced the news on Twitter Friday, saying she is “thankful” for the early diagnosis.
“I am now cancer free and healthy,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who supported me during this time.”
Maintaining a low profile and avoiding the limelight appears to have paid off for Sanders, who is currently running for governor of Arkansas. She did not provide further information about her diagnosis or treatment.
According to the American Cancer Society, thyroid cancer is the most prevalent form of endocrine disease. It affects people between the ages of 25 and 65 at a rate of three females for every one male.
Although thyroid cancer has a high survival rate—more than 98 percent of people will survive at least five years after diagnosis—it may be difficult to detect early on. If left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body.
Sanders is the daughter of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. She served as press secretary for President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019.
She spoke on the procedure: “Today, I underwent a successful surgery to remove my thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes and by the grace of God I am now cancer-free. I want to thank the Arkansas doctors and nurses for their world-class care, as well as my family and friends for their love, prayers, and support.
“This experience has been a reminder that whatever battle you may be facing, don’t lose heart. As governor, I will never quit fighting for the people of our great state.”
The successful surgery was performed by Dr. John Sims, a surgeon at CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock. He said the patient was treated for Stage I papillary thyroid carcinoma.
“The prognosis for this type of cancer is excellent, and I expect her to make a full and speedy recovery,” Sims said in a statement.
“Sarah is currently recovering from surgery in which we removed her thyroid gland and some of the surrounding lymph nodes in her neck.
“The surgery went extremely well, and I expect her to be back on her feet even within the next 24 hours.”
Sanders, 35, is the daughter of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. She joined the Trump administration in 2017 as deputy press secretary and was promoted to press secretary in July of that year.
She was one of the most visible members of the Trump administration, often sparring with reporters at the daily press briefings.
Sanders said in a statement that she was “grateful to my family and friends for their prayers and support.”
“I also want to thank the doctors and staff at CARTI Cancer Center for their incredible work,” she said. “I feel lucky that my diagnosis was detected early and am grateful to have received such high-quality treatment.”
