Sarah Sanders undergoes surgery for thyroid cancer

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. >> Former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, who is running for governor in Arkansas, underwent surgery Friday for thyroid cancer.

Sanders announced she underwent the surgery after a biopsy earlier this month revealed that she had thyroid cancer. Sanders was recovering at an Arkansas hospital on Friday, her campaign said.

“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,” Sanders said in a statement released by her campaign. “I want to thank the Arkansas doctors and nurses for their worldclass care, as well as my family and friends for their love, prayers, and support.”

Sanders, 40, said she looked forward to returning to the campaign trail soon. Sanders’ last public event was at the Arkansas Razorbacks football game on Saturday. Spokesman Judd Deere said Sanders went to two fundraisers and held several meetings at the campaign office Thursday.

Sanders, who served as former President Donald Trump’s spokeswoman until 2019, is running against Democratic nominee Chris Jones. She is the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee.

“Our hearts go out to you, Sarah. Our family is thinking of you and praying for you and your family,” Jones and his wife, Jerrilyn, said in a statement.

“It’s truly a blessing that you caught this cancer early and were able to receive world-class treatment so quickly.”

Sanders, who has shattered fundraising records in the race, is heavily favored in the predominantly Republican state of Arkansas. The state’s current Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, is leaving office in January due to term limits.

Hutchinson said he and first lady Susan Hutchinson wished Sanders a “full and speedy recovery.”

“We hope you’re back on the campaign trail soon!” he tweeted.

A doctor for Sanders said in a statement that he expected her to be back on her feet within the next 24 hours. Dr. John R. Sims, a surgeon at CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock, said Sanders will need adjuvant treatment with radioactive iodine and continued longterm follow-up care.

Sims said Sanders’ cancer was a stage 1 papillary thyroid carcinoma, the most common type of thyroid cancer and said she has an “excellent” prognosis.