Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens announced Monday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The 57-year-old said she she will stay on the job during the course of her treatment, which will last between six and eight months.
Here is an excerpt from The Orange County Register’s article on the announcement:
Hutchens’ voice cracked as she described details of her recent diagnosis of breast cancer, but said she is intent on being involved in the day-to-day operations of the department.
“I think the best thing for this is to keep your normal schedule as much as possible and keep engaged,” she said.
A resident of Dana Point, Hutchens said she was diagnosed on Nov. 9, about six months after a mammogram had shown no signs of a growth. The discovery came as a surprise, she said, especially because there is no history of cancer in her family.
“I’m very optimistic about it,” she said. “I really believe it was caught early.”
The Register article went on to say that while the department’s day-to-day operations won’t be affected, she will likely attend fewer public events while undergoing treatment.
— DAVID WASHBURN