Tony Snow "Happy To Be Back"

White House press secretary Tony Snow was back on the job Monday, five weeks after doctors discovered a recurrence of his cancer

The president's spokesman came back to work and promptly had trouble stringing two sentences together, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

"I want to thank everybody in this room...you guys," said Snow, before choking up with emotion.

Added Snow: "I'm unbelievably lucky and unbelievably blessed and really happy to be back."

"Anybody who does not believe that thoughts and prayers make a difference — they're just wrong," Snow said.

Snow, 51, had been gone five weeks after surgery for colon cancer that had spread to his liver, adds Axelrod. Nine days ago, he stepped back into the limelight, saying he felt fine and was ready to go.

The morning briefing by the press secretary, known as the "gaggle," is typically informal and off-camera. But the White House put the first portion of the session on live TV on request of the networks, reflecting the interest in Snow's return as a news story.

Snow started typically early, appearing Monday on the North Lawn of the White House for a series of morning television network news shows.

He told CBS News' The Early Show he was "feeling great and happy to be back at work."

Snow said he would start four months of chemotherapy on Friday. "We're trying to knock this cancer into remission for good. That means I'll be doing follow-up chemo for a while," he said.

"People get so scared when they hear the term 'cancer.' They think your life ends. It doesn't," Snow said. "As a matter of fact, we live in an age of medical miracles. I have some of the best medical treatment on the earth. We'll be fine through all this. If I didn't think I was able to serve the president fully, I wouldn't be here."

Snow plans to go through treatments every other week for four months. He said he would not make predications about his health, but felt optimistic.

A former radio and TV commentator, Snow brought his smooth, camera-ready style to an embattled White House last May. He quickly became the public face of Mr. Bush's daily communications and has spoken openly — and emotionally — about being a cancer survivor.

It is common for colon cancer patients to suffer a recurrence of cancer, and the most common site is the liver. Medical experts say advances in chemotherapy can allow people with the type of cancer Snow has to return to work and good health for years.