First Lady Hopeful Ann Romney Tours Escambia County Clinic

June 8, 2012

Ann Romney spent Thursday afternoon doing what she pledges to do if her husband is elected president: Bringing attention to breast cancer.

“My huge concern is bringing more awareness to breast cancer,” said Romney, who is a breast cancer survivor and who also lives with multiple sclerosis.

Romney, the wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, toured the Woodlands Medical Specialists clinic on Davis Highway.

“If I have the duty, honor and privilege of being the next first lady, I want to make sure more attention is brought to centers like this and sort of good practices people can learn from,” said Romney.

Like Michelle Obama, who trumps better childhood nutrition and physical fitness, and Laura Bush, who used her role as first lady to encourage literacy, Romney said she would use the White House to help “bring a compassion to people who are struggling.”

In addition to breast cancer, “there would also be the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis, it’s a very mysterious disease for a lot of people,” Romney said. “If you can combine those two with anyone who is going through a lot of struggles, or having a hard time in life. That leads out to not just health issues.”

The Woodlands Medical Clinic touts itself as a “center for specialized medicine” concentrating on the treatment and prevention of various forms of cancers, blood disorders and diseases, abnormalities of the urinary system and breast health.

Linda D’Amore, the chief executive officer of the Woodlands, lead Romney on a tour of the facility’s breast health services center, its imaging center, radiation therapy unit and its chemotherapy infusion center. At the infusion center, she spoke with several patients who were receiving their therapy.

“She is a fabulous woman, down to earth. As a breast cancer survivor, she understands what we do here very well, so it was our pleasure, ” D’Amore said. To have a first lady dedicated to spreading breast cancer awareness “would be a big advantage.”

“The most important thing is for women to get screened. If they don’t get screened, they’re going to miss the opportunity to detect it early. To put any light on breast cancer, whether it’s the first lady or anyone who could so that, would be very important.”

Romney visited Pensacola on the third and final day of a visit to Florida. She started in Miami on Tuesday, where she met with a small group of Latino women voters. On Wednesday, she visited an equine therapy center in Ocala. There, she spoke about how equine therapy had helped her deal with MS.

Romney’s visit to Pensacola brought her to one of the staunchest Republican areas of the state. In Escambia County, 44 percent of voters are registered Republicans, with just 37.8 percent registered Republicans. In Santa Rosa, 57 percent of voters are registered Republicans, while just 25 percent are Democrats.

The former governor, however, was not the favorite of local Republicans in the January presidential preference primary. He came in second to the more conservative former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in both counties.

In Escambia, Gingrich got 38.8 percent of the vote, while Mitt Romney garnered 37.7. In Santa Rosa, Gingrich got 40.8 percent and Mitt Romney got just 33 percent.

By Louis Cooper

Pictured top: Ann Romney, wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, toured the Woodlands Medical Clinic in Pensacola Thursday afternoon. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News