On the Road With Ann Romney

Feb. 14, 2007 — -- In Dearborn, Mich., Ann Romney, the wife of presidential candidate and former governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney, told a crowd that having her five sons and all her grandchildren under one roof was more exciting than her husband's presidential announcement.

Ann is the guiding force in the Romney clan, so when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, her family was stunned.

Since then, Romney has been awarded the MS Society Annual Hope Award.

The former first lady of Massachusetts volunteers a lot of her time and effort to help raise awareness of multiple sclerosis. By raising funds for advocacy and research, she is determined to make a difference in the lives of people who suffer from the disease.

When her husband wanted to run for governor, Romney was less than enthusiastic.

But when asked if she was onboard with the presidential run now, she said, she is "totally onboard with it."

"I'm feeling well, I am. My health is good," she told Kate Snow in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America."

Opposed to Stem Cell Reseach

Times were not always so easy, especially when she was diagnosed with MS.

"It was tough, and I have to say, I was not an example of strength and courage when I was going through it. I was pretty frightened," Romney said. "And when you really get down, I felt like I was completely crushed. It was a scary thing, because in so many ways, it changed me. I could go back to full-blown MS at any point."

Romney says her husband was not going to run for president if her health deteriorated. But once they decided to cross the threshold, he was going forward with that commitment, no matter what, she said.

In addition to her work to help find a cure for MS, Romney also supports her husband in his opposition to embryonic stem cell research.

Many doctors believe stem cell research could help cure diseases like MS.

"I see it as a life that they would be experimenting on," she said.

Mitt Romney often talks of his storybook relationship with his wife, which began nearly 40 years ago in Michigan. The two were high school sweethearts and have been married for 37 years. Ann Romney converted to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, though he never asked her to.

Despite being Mormon, Romney still understands people's apprehensions about it. She says she would like people to stop getting hung up on religion.

"I've been both places," she said. "There's a lot of misperception. I had them too before I joined. Basically we share the same values as probably most faiths."

Romney says she would love to be first lady, but she will be happy either way.

"Yeah, it's an option for us," she said. "I think, honestly, life would be better on a personal level. People have to understand that it is a huge sacrifice. A huge sacrifice."