Former first lady Jill Biden is offering a candid look at the challenges facing former President Joe Biden as he continues treatment for advanced prostate cancer, saying the disease has significantly changed his daily life.
According to the New York Post, while speaking during a book event that included a conversation with “The View” co-host Ana Navarro, Jill Biden discussed the reality of her husband’s diagnosis and the impact it has had on the 83-year-old former president.
“It’s stage four, and it has metastasized to his bones. So that puts things on a whole different level,” she said.
Jill Biden acknowledged that the diagnosis means her husband will continue living with the disease indefinitely.
“I mean, Joe will have to live with cancer for the rest of his life, which means he’s on special medicines,” she said.
Questions have persisted about why the cancer was not detected while Biden was still serving in the White House. His team has previously said he stopped receiving routine blood tests for prostate cancer around 2014 because of his age.
Reflecting on the period before the diagnosis, Jill Biden said she noticed signs that something was wrong.
She recalled that while serving as president, Biden was waking up repeatedly throughout the night to use the bathroom.
“I never imagined it would be prostate cancer,” Jill Biden said. “I just never imagined it.”
The former first lady also spoke about the physical toll the illness and treatment have taken on her husband.
“You know, it takes a toll,” she said. “He keeps his schedule, but he’s slowed down.”
“I mean, stage four cancer is — and he’s 83 — so, I think the mix of everything and the medications that he’s taken has made life a little more difficult these days.”
Jill Biden has been promoting her memoir, “View From the East Wing: A Memoir,” and has frequently been asked about her husband’s health during public appearances.
The discussion has also revived questions about the debate over Biden’s age and fitness during the 2024 presidential campaign.
The former president ultimately ended his re-election bid after a widely criticized debate performance against President Donald Trump.
Jill Biden has since acknowledged that, based on what she knows now, her husband would not have been able to complete another four-year term in the White House.
Despite the challenges, she said Biden remains active and continues to participate in public events.
She pointed to his recent appearance at a Democratic Party gathering in South Dakota as evidence that he is still engaged.
At the same time, Jill Biden described the extensive role she now plays in managing his care.
“It’s hard to be a caretaker,” she said.
“I have to make sure he gets the right medications.”
She added, “I’m the one talking to the doctors. I’m the one setting up the appointments. I’m the one to make sure that he eats well.”
Throughout her media appearances, Jill Biden has also argued that discussions about her husband’s age and health have often been treated differently than conversations surrounding Trump, who is approaching his 80th birthday.
For now, she said, the family remains focused on managing Biden’s condition and navigating the challenges that come with a diagnosis that will remain part of his life moving forward.
