As first lady, aprofessor of English, a mother and grandmother, Dr.Jill Biden’s daily to-do list is likely pretty long. But she’s taking time to remind women to prioritize their health.
“I get it. You’re busy. There are kids or grandkids to look after. You have so many things to take care of,” Biden, 70, says in a new PSA encouraging women to make an appointment for a mammogram. “Take a moment to put your health first. Get your mammogram. It might save your life. And nothing on your to-do list is more important than that.”
October isBreast Cancer Awareness Month, and Dr. Biden’s PSA is part of Lifetime’s Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign. The spot will run on air as well as on the network’s social media channels.
The first lady started encouraging women to educate themselves about breast cancer in 1993, when four of her friends were diagnosed with the disease, which affectsone of eight women in the United States.
After her friends' diagnoses, Dr. Biden “launched the Biden Breast Health Initiative to educate Delaware high school girls about the importance of early detection,” according toher official White House bio. “As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues to stress the importance of cancer research and early detection efforts, especially in underrepresented communities and rural areas.”
Cancer has been apainful part of the Bidens' family history. PresidentJoe Biden’s sondied of brain cancerin 2015 during Biden’s vice presidency.
As president, Biden saidhe will work to end cancer, a continuation of his effort as part of the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, which “accelerate(s) cancer research aims to make more therapies available to more patients, while also improving our ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early stage,” according tothe organization’s website.
Dr. Biden’s PSA wraps with an invitation to visitcancer.govor to call 1-800-4-Cancer to get more information, including afact sheet about mammograms.
“Between work, taking care of kids and grandkids, and all the demands of hectic modern life, women so often put themselves — and their health — last,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, tells PEOPLE. “Plus, with the global pandemic, many people have put off important health screenings, including mammograms. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the first lady is asking women to put their health first and schedule their mammogram if it’s time.”
source: people.com
