“During a check-up earlier this month, my doctor ordered a biopsy on an area of concern on my neck and the test revealed that I had thyroid cancer,” said Sanders, 40, the state’s Republican gubernatorial candidate. , said in a statement. “Today, I underwent a successful surgery to remove my thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes and by God’s grace I am now cancer free,” she added. Dr. John Sims, a surgeon at CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock, said Sanders was being treated for Stage I papillary thyroid carcinoma. “Sarah is currently recovering from surgery in which we removed her thyroid gland and some of the surrounding lymph nodes in her neck,” he said in a statement. “The surgery went extremely well and I expect her to be back on her feet even within the next 24 hours.” She added that her diagnosis is “the most common type of thyroid cancer and has an excellent prognosis.” “While she will need adjuvant radioactive iodine treatment as well as continued long-term follow-up, I think it’s fair to say that she is now cancer-free and I don’t expect any of this to slow her down,” said Dr. Sims said. Meanwhile, the mother-of-three vowed to return to campaigning “soon”. “I want to thank the doctors and nurses of Arkansas for their world-class care, and my family and friends for their love, prayers and support,” she said in her statement. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail soon. This experience is a reminder that no matter what battle you face, don’t lose heart. As governor, I will never stop fighting for the people of our great state.” Sanders, the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, is favored to defeat Democrat Chris Jones in the Nov. 8 election. Arkansas has not elected a Democratic governor since 2010.
