First Lady Casey DeSantis announced on Wednesday morning a $100 million proposal for cancer research and care in Florida, a 60 percent increase in funding compared to prior year investments.

The funding will be used to forward cancer care and research at three cancer institutes in Florida — Moffitt Cancer Center, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and University of Florida Health Cancer Center.

“Florida offers some of the best cancer care and research in the nation, and I’m proud that we are proposing historic investments in our leading cancer centers,” said First Lady DeSantis. “The Governor and I are committed to helping every cancer patient that we can through innovative research and high-quality care.”

DeSantis spoke at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where she herself is receiving treatment for breast cancer. According to Governor Ron DeSantis, First Lady DeSantis continues to be in strong health despite the illness.

She was joined at the roundtable meeting by state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

“Florida’s cancer institutes are critical in providing treatment that saves the lives of patients with cancer,” Ladapo said. “This funding will also continue supporting advancements in cancer research and treatments that can potentially lead to new cures.”

Florida residents, as is the case with other hot weather climates like Australia and Hawai’i, are especially susceptible to forms of cancer like melanoma. The funding will go toward the development and manufacturing of preventative medicine in order to protect the most vulnerable individuals.

“The funding announced today will greatly benefit our three homegrown Florida cancer centers, enabling these institutions to recruit the best and brightest from around the globe. It will allow us to bring teams and grant dollars to Florida to better support cutting-edge discoveries, research, and patient care, and make progress in the prevention and cure of cancer,” said Dr. Patrick Hwu, President and CEO of Moffitt.

The Legislature would still need to grant approval to the governor’s request in the budget, which is anticipated to come in the next two weeks.