Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday announced that she has cancer and will begin undergoing treatment. She said in a statement that doctors expect her to make a full recovery.
“Within the past few weeks, during a routine exam, my longtime family physician discovered a spot on my lung that was unusual,” said Ivey, who will turn 75 in October. “Additional tests confirmed that this was, indeed, a tiny, isolated malignancy.
“The good news is I am one of the fortunate ones where this was discovered early, and it is very treatable. The better news is Alabama is home to some of the world’s leading physicians. My team of doctors have assured me this treatment has a very high rate of success and will have a minimal impact on my schedule.”
Ivey said she will begin cancer treatment on Friday at UAB, undergoing an outpatient procedure. She said her treatments and recovery will not affect her ability to govern the state and she apparently has no plans to either resign or take a leave during the treatment.
Questions about Ivey’s health followed her during her re-election campaign last year and have persisted throughout the last year. But she has consistently brushed those aside or dismissed the questions with a joke.
However, schedules from her work days showed little, if any time, spent in the office for most of a two-month period. And rumors have persisted that she continues to work very few hours some weeks.
The governor asked for prayers and support from the public and said she was extremely grateful that the malignancy was caught early.
