Gov. Larry Hogan Discusses His Battle With Cancer
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Governor Larry Hogan is revealing more about his battle with cancer, just one day after announcing he is 100 percent cancer-free. WJZ cameras were there in the governor's office immediately following his announcement. There, he thanked his wife, Yumi, and the doctors he credits with saving his life.
Vic Carter had a chance to talk with Governor Hogan, who spoke candidly about the fight of his life.
Carter: "Tell us about your toughest day after getting the diagnosis."
Hogan: "Probably the toughest day was at the beginning, just having to tell my family because it was harder on them than it was on me, quite frankly. It was a little scary, the diagnosis, but I never got despondent. I wasn't really ever down about. I was focused on, 'We're going to get through this thing and I'm going to get cured,' but watching my girls and my wife and my dad crying as I told them the news--it was scary for them."
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Carter: "How quickly did you make the decision to make this a public battle?"
Hogan: "I knew that being in the public eye, that I wasn't going to keep it a secret. People were going to know. I wanted to be as honest and transparent and as up front as I possibly could, quite frankly, against the advice of some of my advisers, who didn't want me to have a press conference right away. I had actually gone through surgery that day for a biopsy and I was still under anesthesia and taking pain pills when I did my press conference. I was a little loopy. I was very relaxed. I was like, 'I'll answer any questions you want.' But I just wanted to make sure the truth got out. People said that it was more like a family discussion than a press conference because I was completely open and honest and told people exactly what the diagnosis was and how I was feeling and what I was going through. And I think people appreciated the honesty."
Carter: "What do you say to people who are going through cancer right now, and to the families who have to support them?"
Hogan: "To me, your faith is important. You have to have a positive attitude and you've got to have a support network. The families--I think it's almost tougher on the families than it is the patient--that's what I realized. And people don't always give them as much attention as they do the patient, but it's a tough thing, and you've just got to stay positive and stay focused on getting through it because there is life after cancer and it's not a death sentence and there are a whole lot of great stories that I've heard from people who've survived and gone on to do great things."
Carter: "How has your life really changed since this diagnosis and since these treatments?"
Hogan: "It made me appreciate every single day more than I ever did before. And it made me more determined than ever to try to get things done and I've worked every day as hard as I could for the people of Maryland because that's what they elected me to do and that's my job. So I stayed focused, and it just made me more impatient. I want to get things done."
Carter: "Congratulations. You've been such an inspiration to so many people."
Hogan: "Thank you, Vic. I appreciate it."