Casey DeSantis takes part in Thanksgiving run to raise awareness of cancer in Florida

Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis did much more than prepare recipes for a Thanksgiving Day dinner. She participated in the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot in Tallahassee to raise awareness of pediatric cancer research and treatment.

Casey DeSantis, the wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, is a cancer survivor herself and took time on Thanksgiving Day Thursday to run in the race through the streets of Florida’s capital city. But she was also running on behalf of one child, 2-year-old Griffin Anderson, a Jacksonville boy who was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare strain of cancer. A go-fund-me page was established on Griffin’s behalf to help pay for his treatment.

Casey DeSantis was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2021. She also championed the establishment of state efforts to increase cancer research, resulting in the state-backed Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, which got millions of dollars of support from state-sponsored legislation.

Casey DeSantis said she felt it was important to raise more awareness of Anderson’s case, which played into her decision to run in the 5K street race on Thanksgiving Day.

“The battle against cancer is ongoing, and we will not stop until it’s defeated,” Casey DeSantis said. “We are proud to continue promoting advanced health care research and supporting Floridians like Griffin as they continue their fight to defeat this awful disease.”

Griffin Anderson was initially hospitalized in April after falling from a bunk bed in his home. However, after observation, it was found that he had Ewing’s sarcoma. Only about 200 to 250 people in America are diagnosed with that form of cancer each year. Teenagers or young adults usually contract it.

Unfortunately, physicians tried several rounds of chemotherapy and blood transfusions to try and stem the spread of the rare form of cancer in Anderson’s body, but those were not successful. Medical experts decided to amputate the boy’s arm to save his life, and the boy continues to recover well.