Cancer surgery hasn’t deterred Sandra Deal from her literacy mission
Weeks removed from successful breast cancer surgery, Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal has resumed her favorite pastime: Traveling the state to read to young children.
She and her husband, Gov. Nathan Deal, kicked off Read Across Georgia Month at the state Capitol as part of initiative that aims to have all Georgia third-graders reading at grade-level or better by the time they finish the third grade.
Mrs. Deal, 75, was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer after her annual mammogram detected a cancerous tumor. It was successfully removed in January and she soon began chemotherapy treatments.
The first lady is perhaps best known for her advocacy for child welfare and education, and her stops around the state to read to school children. Since her husband took office in 2011, she has visited all 159 counties and made at least 836 school visits.
That included a stop Monday morning with her husband to a metro Atlanta elementary school, where she and the governor were peppered with questions from the students.
When one child asked the governor how he got his job, he gave a meandering answer. His wife was much more succinct.
“People don’t vote for you if they don’t like you. And they’re not going to like you if you’re not nice to them,” she told the students. “So be nice.”
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
