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First lady Jill Biden tours UCSF cancer center
First lady Jill Biden arrived in the Bay Area on Friday morning to tour a San Francisco cancer center.
SAN FRANCISCO - First lady Jill Biden arrived in the Bay Area on Friday morning to tour a San Francisco cancer center.
The first lady was joined by Representative Jackie Speier and National Cancer Institute Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and doctors and researchers at the center shared their progress in research, treatment, and care of patients, caregivers, and survivors.
"We have supportive programs from patients through diagnosis, all the way to survivorship, because we know cancer can upend people’s lives," explained Dr. Laura Esserman, director of UCSF Breast Care Center.
The first lady came to the Bay Area as part of the Biden Administration's "Cancer Moonshot."
In February, President Biden renewed the effort, intending to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50% in the next 25 years and improve the experience of people living with and surviving cancer.
For the first lady, the effort to end cancer is personal.
"In 1993, I think this all stems from what I’m hearing about personal experience," she told the staff. "Back then I had four friends diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time."
In addition to her friends, the Biden’s son Beau died from brain cancer
She started the Biden Breast Health Initiative in Delaware, which educated more than 10,000 high school girls about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
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As second lady, Jill Biden, a doctor, continued to stress the importance of breast cancer research and early detection.
"We’ve gone through this journey and we know how painful it is for families," she said. "And we know how important it is to help families navigate."
UCSF researchers have made strides in new technology and immune therapies since then-Vice President Biden and second Lady first visited the center in 2016. There are 30 clinical trials open at the cancer center including the Wisdom study, an effort to find the safest and most effective way to detect breast cancer.
"We want to screen more for the people who need it, less for the people that don’t, and prioritize prevention," said Esserman.
Outreach is also a major part of the work at UCSF.
Dr. Kim Rhoads, associate director of community engagement at the cancer center, shared with the first lady the "People’s Campaign against Cancer"—which uses real stories of patients, survivors, and caregivers.
"People are more influenced by their friends and families and direct experiences than just by the experts and the smart people, telling them what to do," said Rhoads.
Rhoads said she was thankful the share the good work the team is doing with the first lady.
The first lady said she was grateful to see the progress first-hand that is being made in the fight against cancer.
"I love what you’re doing here," she said. "You’re just amazing, not only because you’re so great and wonderful and smart, but because you have great hearts."