Jeb Bush's chief strategist, David Kochel, has been diagnosed with cancer and has begun treatment, according to a report.

Kochel, 51, has been splitting his time between Miami and Des Moines, and remains a central part of the campaign, USA Today reports.

"Columba's and my prayers are with our friend David for a very speedy recovery," Bush said in a statement. "He is an integral leader of our team, and more importantly, a great human being. I look forward to having David healthy and at 100 percent as we take on the Iowa caucuses and beyond."

Kochel was hospitalized in Des Moines Friday with an illness identified as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an aggressive form of cancer.