Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says he has a treatable form of prostate cancer.
The 67-year-old Wolf said Wednesday that the cancer was detected early by his doctors. He says he has a planned treatment schedule that will last several months.
“...My doctors made the diagnosis after a regular checkup revealed abnormalities," said Wolf in a statement. "In consultation with my doctors, I have a planned treatment schedule that will begin in the coming weeks.
"Those treatments will last the next several months, but they will present no impairment to my ability to perform my duties as governor. Prior to beginning treatment, I will take a brief time to spend with my family. I am very thankful that my doctors caught this cancer quickly and have worked with me to plan a treatment schedule that will address my medical issues and allow me to serve the people of Pennsylvania. I encourage everyone in Pennsylvania to make sure they schedule regular checkups with their doctors and be aware of screening guidelines so early detection and treatment can be possible.”
"We don't have to be sad about this," wife Frances Wolf said while sitting next to her husband at a Wednesday morning news conference. "I feel more than hopeful." [[369980771, C]]
Wolf, a Democrat, recently finished a contentious first year in office without getting a full budget deal through the Republican-controlled Legislature.
He said he would take a few days off, his first vacation as governor, before starting treatment near his home in the York area.
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"What I'm going through is treatable and will actually not ... interfere with my duties as governor," he said.
He said he should not need to turn over authority to the lieutenant governor.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. In the United States alone, there were an estimated 220,000 new cases and 27,500 deaths from the disease last year.
