JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis visited Jacksonville on Wednesday to announce the launch of a website to help Floridians who have cancer and their loved ones navigate coverage and find providers, treatment options, nonprofits and other resources for day-to-day life.
The website is FLCancerConnect.com.
The Florida Cancer Connect website also has support for caregivers, DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday at the Ackerman Cancer Center on San Jose Boulevard in Mandarin.
Another part of the site collects stories of survival and hope. People can submit their stories by emailing survivor@flcancerconnect.com.
UNCUT: Click the play button below to watch First Lady Casey DeSantis’ full news conference.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in March that his wife was cancer-free following treatment and surgery for breast cancer. The mother of three’s diagnosis was first made public in October.
“When I was going through my cancer fight, I saw the need for a centralized hub that housed everything patients and caretakers could need while dealing with this disease,” the first lady said. “Florida Cancer Connect arms Floridians with valuable knowledge while instilling hope into the lives of those facing cancer by sharing positive survivor stories. Our mission with this website is simple — make the cancer battle easier and instill hope in those fighting.”
At Wednesday’s news conference, Clay County Deputy Courtney Altstatt also spoke about her diagnosis and treatment. News4JAX reported in July 2019 that Altstatt was cancer-free after battling stage 3 breast cancer.
“You’re a rockstar,” the first lady told her.
The first lady mentioned that as previously announced in May, $100 million has been designated for cancer research, a 60% increase over the previous fiscal year.