Dr Jill Biden has shared an emotional update on her husband Joe Biden's battle with stage 4 cancer, admitting she is "scared" as they confront the reality of his incurable diagnosis. Speaking on the Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, the former First Lady, 75, revealed how the couple are coping after the ex-US President's prostate cancer metastasised to his bones.
Struggling with Fear
Addressing the daunting reality of her husband's health, Dr Biden admitted she struggles to keep negative thoughts at bay. "Of course I'm scared," she said. "I mean, first of all, he's almost 10 years older than I am. And with an illness ... you kinda can't let your head go there."
She added: "It's like, you can't imagine life without them. But you know they're going to die - just like I know I'm going to die. So part of it, you accept."
Focusing on Joy
Despite the severe diagnosis, Dr Biden explained that she and the former President, 83, are refusing to let fear dominate their remaining time together. Instead, they are focusing on finding daily moments of joy.
"We can't look at life that way... We look at it like, 'Joe has cancer. He's gonna die, so let's make the most of every moment,'" she shared. "'Let's be together... let's find things that bring us joy. Let's make this a positive journey' - I mean, not a negative journey, because how can you live with that every day? You can't. It's too heavy."
Dr Biden praised her husband's resilience, noting that he remains a pillar of strength for their family and rarely voices his own fears. "He has always been the strength of our family," she said.
Diagnosis and Support
Mr Biden, who served as the 46th president of the US from 2021 to 2025, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stage 4 prostate cancer on May 16, 2025, at age 82, after consulting doctors regarding urinary symptoms. His office officially announced the diagnosis to the public three days later.
Medical evaluations identified the condition as a high-grade, fast-spreading cancer featuring a Gleason Score of nine out of 10. The aggressive grade 5 prostate cancer has since metastasised to his bones, but because the cancer was found to be hormone-sensitive, his medical team has been able to manage his care using targeted therapies.
He said in a post 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."
Following the announcement, prominent figures from across the political spectrum shared messages of support. Former President Barack Obama praised his former running mate's lifelong advocacy for medical research, expressing certainty that he would "fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace". Former Vice President Kamala Harris called Mr Biden "a fighter" who would face the illness with "strength, resilience, and optimism," while President Donald Trump set political rivalries aside to wish him a "fast and successful recovery".
