The Biden Administration’s cancer prevention and treatment initiative just received celebrity support from superstar Mary J. Blige. The singer joined First Lady Jill Biden and the American Cancer Society to announce national meetings on breast and cervical cancer. The cancer society pledged to convene events after the president and first lady resurrected the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative this year. The program provides more money for research to “help us end cancer as we know it. For good,” said Jill Biden.
R&B singer Mary J. Blige talked about losing aunts and other family members to breast, cervical, and lung cancer. She has promoted breast cancer screening through the Black Women’s Health Imperative, especially among Black women disproportionately affected. Blige blamed the misconceptions about mammograms among Black women and “the practice of not wanting other people in our business” for the disparities in breast cancer outcomes between Blacks and whites.
She notes that had her aunts, godmother, and grandparents been informed about cancer, “they would have a different outcome today.” The singer paused multiple times to remain composed. The first lady reached out to Blige as she sat back down. The two held hands for several minutes before Biden thanked Blige. The Biden family lost their son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.
Jill Biden’s Mission
The first lady stated the administration’s cancer initiative would help encourage collaboration and research, invest in new treatments and therapies, and help people get the best care and support. She said it is about creating a ” future where we don’t have to be afraid of the word cancer anymore.” The American Cancer Society said the roundtables would bring doctors, scientists, and other professionals together with leading organizations to work on making progress against cancer.
Breast cancer is leading cancer for women and is the number one cause of death among Black and Latino women. More than 14,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths. Since becoming the first lady, Jill Biden has traveled the country to learn about advances in cancer research and encourage people to get routine screenings.
