Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley Has Prostate Cancer, Undergoes Surgery Friday

Friends of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley claim he's done a great job -- in fact, a classy job -- of rehabbing his life since scandal forced his resignation from Congress in 2006. But on Friday he faces a new challenge.

Diagnosed with prostate cancer, he will enter the hospital for surgery that "involves complete removal of the prostate," but that should have him up and running again in about a week. He said doctors have told him it's unlikely the cancer has spread.

Foley explained that he was diagnosed during a routine checkup.

He said this: I feel very good about the fact that once known, were acting quickly and getting (it) done. Not going to panic about it. And trust in the professionals and pray to God. He [God] got me through [20]06. Im blessed ... I see this as another of lifes challenges that we can learn from and move forward.

Foley, 56, represented the 16th Congressional District -- that's the Treasure Coast -- for almost 12 years until just before the 2006 elections, when his sexually explicit e-mail to former congressional pages became public. He then resigned his seat, admitted himself into alcohol rehab, and came out of the closet as gay.

But he has, since then, pieced his life back together, is now a successful businessman with interests in real estate and banking and a popular weekly talk-radio show in West Palm Beach, where he lives. In fact, in 2010, encouraged by friends, he flirted with the idea of running for mayor of West Palm Beach.

"I think I had a chance if I'd run," he told me in May. "But I wasn't ready to put my family through everything I knew would be involved."

By 10 p.m. Thursday, Foley's Facebook page was alive with messages of good wishes for Friday's surgery.