FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) – Ann Romney is on a mission to spread her husband’s message.

“You know they need a lifeline now.  And that’s what we’re here to give,” the wife of the Republican Presidential candidate told CBS4’s Shannon Hori in a one-on-one interview Thursday.

The 63-year old, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and has battled breast cancer, spoke to a roomful of people at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.

“Mitt and I have been through real struggles with health.  That’s been my toughest teacher.  That’s when you are really struggling, and really down, there are people there that pick you up,” Romney said. “So what’s it taught me is to have a more open heart. Compassionate heart. For people down and out and really suffering.”

The mother of five and grandmother of 18 was right at home reading to children at the Chris Evert Children’s Hospital.

Recent reports have suggested it was Mitt Romney’s wife who pushed the campaign to shake things up and show the softer, more caring side of the candidate.  She says America is finally seeing it.

“For me what I’ve been talking about is trying to have people see Mitt for who he is and I feel like that’s happened and so people think something must have happened.  This is the real Mitt.  Come on.  Look at him,” Romney said.

The mother of five boys was accompanied by her youngest son Craig in South Florida today.

“We are happy to support my Dad any way we can. We are tremendously proud of him,” Craig Romney said.

Whether or not Ann Romney becomes the next First Lady of the United States, she says she has the same plans for after the campaign: to get all her grandkids together and “ play in the kitchen with them …laugh and roll on the floor with them.”

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