Sarah Huckabee Sanders reveals she battled thyroid cancer

Republican Arkansas gubernatorial hopeful Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday that she had surgery for thyroid cancer – but planned to continue on in her race for governor.

‘During a check-up earlier this month, my doctor ordered a biopsy on an area of concern in my neck and the test revealed I had thyroid cancer,’ the former White House press secretary said in a statement.

‘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 thanked her doctors and nurses and said she planned to return to the campaign trail ‘soon.’ 

Jared Kushner (left), photographed with Sanders (center) in June 2019, revealed in his memoir that he had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer during his time working in the Trump White House 

President Donald Trump (right) stands at the rally podium alongside Sanders (left) in June 2019 after she announced she would be stepping down as White House press secretary 

Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ gubernatorial campaign put out a statement from the candidate about her cancer diagnosis and surgery Friday

Sanders’ diagnosis comes after Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump and a former top White House adviser – revealed he battled thyroid cancer while working in the last administration. 

The 41-year-old husband of Ivanka Trump wrote about his cancer battle in Breaking History, a White House Memoir, which was released last month. 

Earlier this month he was spotted out boating with Ivanka and their kids with a bandage on his throat following a second thyroid surgery.  

A doctor for Sanders told the Associated Press he expected the gubernatorial hopeful to be back on her feet in the next 24 hours. 

Following the surgery, Dr. John R. Sims said the ex-White House spokeswoman will need adjuvant treatment with radioactive iodine and will have to be monitored long-term.

He said that Sanders had Stage 1 thyroid carcinoma, which is the most common type of thyroid cancer and has an ‘excellent’ prognosis.  

‘I think it’s fair to say she’s now cancer free, and I don’t anticipate any of this slowing her down,’ Sims said. 

Sanders is the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who twice ran for the Republican nomination for president. 

She worked for her father’s presidential campaign before becoming a campaign aide to Trump during his 2016 bid. 

She became White House press secretary in July 2016, following the resignation of Sean Spicer. 

Sanders held the job until July 2019. 

She had always held higher political ambitions and in January 2021 she announced she would run for governor of Arkansas – the same position formerly held by her dad.

Sanders is on the ballot against Democrat Chris Jones. 

The state tends to flip-flop between Republican and Democratic governors, though in recent presidential cycles has been solidly red.