When I heard that former President Joe Biden is now facing stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, it hit me hard. As a cancer survivor who has lost too many loved ones to cancer—including my father, the day before my 17th birthday—I know how it feels when the floor drops out from under you. A diagnosis like this can be profoundly destabilizing.
During this difficult time, my heart goes out to President Biden, former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and their entire family. As he shared this week on social media: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
That is my deepest wish for them now—that they feel the same compassion and support they’ve extended to so many others, especially to those within the cancer community.
From first meeting then–Vice President Biden as a journalist, to later joining him and Dr. Biden in their bold Cancer Moonshot Initiative—which aims to cut the cancer death rate in half and improve the lives of those affected—I’ve seen the depth of their commitment firsthand. I’ve had the honor of advancing that vision: moderating presidential panels, uplifting patient voices, and most recently, being appointed by President Biden to the National Cancer Advisory Board.
As Dr. Biden has said, “None of us can beat cancer alone.”
To President Biden: You are not alone. The cancer community stands with you, and we’re holding you and your family close.
About Tamika Felder
Tamika Felder is a cervical cancer survivor and global advocate who founded Cervivor, Inc. in 2005 to empower survivors and eliminate the disease. She champions research and policy, having testified before Congress and the FDA, and currently serves as co-chair of the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable. She also sits on the National Cervical Cancer Roundtable and the National Cancer Advisory Board—a position to which she was appointed by President Biden last year. Tamika is a published author, award-winning filmmaker, and sought-after speaker.