SouthernWorldwide.com – Former first lady Dr. Jill Biden provided an update on former President Joe Biden’s health, stating that while he will live with stage 4 cancer for the remainder of his life, his schedule remains active, albeit at a more measured pace.
During a conversation with Ana Navarro, a political commentator and co-host of “The View,” for her new book “View From the East Wing: A Memoir,” Dr. Biden recounted an earlier observation. While her husband was still president and had a medical team, she noticed he was frequently needing to use the restroom at night.
She mentioned that this issue persisted after they left the White House in 2025. Prompted by this, she advised him to see a urologist. During his initial appointment, the doctor detected something, leading to a CAT scan for the former president.
“I never imagined it would be prostate cancer,” she admitted. “I just never imagined it.”
While prostate cancer can be cured in some instances, Dr. Biden explained that President Biden’s situation is different. It is stage four and has metastasized to his bones, placing it in a significantly more serious category.
This means President Biden will need to manage cancer for the rest of his life and is currently on specialized medication. He also underwent radiation therapy, which required frequent travel from their Delaware home to Philadelphia for five weeks.
“You know, it takes a toll,” she remarked. She highlighted his busy recent schedule, including a Democratic Party event in South Dakota on Friday night, a friend’s wedding on Saturday, and a planned visit to Philadelphia on Sunday.
“He keeps his schedule, but he’s slowed down,” she stated. She attributed this to the combination of stage four cancer, his age of 83, and the medications he is taking, which have made daily life more challenging.
When asked about her role in managing the situation, Dr. Biden described it as difficult to be a caretaker, though she acknowledged President Biden would not prefer that term. She emphasized her responsibility for overseeing all the details.
“I have to make sure he gets the right medications,” she explained. “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.”
Joe Biden publicly announced his cancer diagnosis in May 2025. Earlier in the week, Dr. Biden told the “Today” show that her husband was “doing OK.”
“He’s out making speeches, and he’s traveling on Amtrak,” she added. “He was just at the Delaware Memorial Bridge for the veteran’s ceremony. So yeah, he’s doing a lot, but he has stage 4 cancer.”
Dr. Biden and Navarro also discussed other topics from her book, including President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following a challenging debate in June 2024.
She recalled him telling her at their Delaware home, “I have no choice.”
Dr. Biden also shared that it was “hurtful” to witness many Democratic figures, some of whom had been close friends for decades, publicly calling for President Biden to withdraw from the race.
However, she mentioned that President Biden had reconciled with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was reportedly among those privately advocating for his exit, at the funeral of Tatiana Schlossberg, daughter of Caroline Kennedy, in January.
Dr. Biden, 75, admitted that she has not yet spoken with Pelosi. She also expressed her belief that there has been a “double standard” in discussions surrounding her husband’s age and mental acuity when compared to President Donald Trump, who would turn 80 on June 14.
Regarding the qualities she hopes for in the next president after Trump leaves office, Dr. Biden emphasized integrity, trustworthiness, and empathy, without naming specific individuals.
“They’re the characteristics of the American people,” she stated. “That’s who we are.”
