(CNN) Sen. Michael Bennet revealed on Wednesday he's been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will have surgery during the congressional recess that begins on April 11.

The Colorado Democrat said in a statement that he was diagnosed in March and called himself "fortunate" that the cancer was detected early. He said his prognosis "good."

"The work we have in front of us to restore a politics that is worthy of our kids and grandkids has never been more important," he said in the statement. "This unanticipated hurdle only reinforces how strongly I feel about contributing to the larger conversation about the future of our country, and I am even more committed to drive that conversation in a positive direction."

Bennet, who has teased a presidential bid for months, told the Colorado Independent -- the outlet that broke the news -- that he remains committed to running for president if he will be cancer free.

"The idea was to announce sometime in April," Bennet told the outlet. "That was the plan. We hired some staff. We interviewed people for positions in New Hampshire and Iowa. And then I went for the physical. In my last physical, my PSA (a protein produced by the prostate) was high. They did a biopsy, and it was clear. But this time, it was not clear."

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