Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, as confirmed by his office on Sunday. The diagnosis came after Biden, 82, reported urinary symptoms that led to the discovery of a nodule on his prostate. According to his office, the cancer has spread to the bone, indicating a more aggressive form of the disease.
While Biden’s cancer is classified as hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management, the prognosis remains serious. ‘It’s very treatable, but not curable,’ Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center told the Associated Press, noting that patients can expect to live four to five years with metastatic prostate cancer. Biden’s office said his Gleason score is 9, suggesting a highly aggressive cancer.
In a message shared on X, Biden expressed gratitude for the support he and his wife, Jill Biden, have received, writing, ‘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.’
Catholics can find solace in Biden’s resilience, as he continues to advocate for cancer research, a cause deeply personal to him. In 2022, Biden made a ‘cancer moonshot’ a key initiative, aiming to halve the cancer death rate over 25 years — a mission inspired by the death of his son, Beau Biden, from brain cancer in 2015.
Among those expressing well wishes were President Donald Trump, who said, ‘We wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,’ and Vice President Kamala Harris, who stated, ‘Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership.’
Biden’s faith has been a central aspect of his public life, often speaking of prayer and spiritual endurance during moments of personal and national crisis. As Catholics pray for Biden, his journey underscores the Church’s teaching on suffering and the sanctity of life, reminding the faithful to entrust all things to God, even amidst life’s gravest challenges.
