Notes of Concern…
…Jackson Blair
BETTY FORD
A great deal has been written about First Lady Betty Ford since her passing at age 93. She was one of the bravest and most forthright women to serve as First Lady of the United States.
In this column I want to share with you a way Betty Ford touched my life, a person unknown to her and a person who never met her. The story, I think, not only reflects on the many ways she was able to use her popularity and her position to do good, but how she often did so in a quiet and unheralded way.
I was the dinner partner one evening of Marvella Bayh. Marvella was not only the wife of Indiana United States Senator Birch Bayh and the mother of former Governor and United States Senator Evan Bayh, but she was a spokesman for the American Cancer Society.
Mrs. Bayh had breast cancer and as part of her dealing with her disease she had learned as much as she could about the disease and she helped the American Cancer association raise money to continue research into a cure.
During our dinner conversation we discussed breast cancer and I mentioned to her I had a wonderful aunt back in Pennsylvania who had been diagnosed and was currently in the hospital after a mastectomy. She asked me a great many questions I could not answer. She wanted to know how many “nodes” were involved, when the cancer was detected, what specific treatments had been recommended. I realized she wanted to use her knowledge to determine how serious my aunt’s case might be.
We went on to other discussions and enjoyed a wonderful evening. The occasion was the birthday party of a mutual friend and it was held in Tuxedo Park, NY. I lived in Southport, CT and Mrs. Bayh in Washington, DC and Indiana. I did not expect to see her again or hear from her.
The following week I had a call from my family in Pennsylvania. My hospitalized aunt had received a telephone call from Marvella Bayh. She had talked with her for some time, offering encouragement and suggestions. My aunt, who happened to be married to a local Democrat office holder, certainly had heard of the Bayhs (Senator Bayh had been a candidate for president)and was flabbergasted to receive the call.
My wife and I were so pleased Marvella took the time to reach out and encourage my aunt at such a difficult time.
A few days later, we received another call from family. My hospitalized aunt had received a call from the First Lady of the United States, Betty Ford, another breast cancer victim and friend of Marvella Bayh.
One can only imagine the encouragement such a call would provide. My aunt certainly came to understand that this horrible disease knew no rank in life, attacked women at all levels, and that women who experienced the disease belonged to an unofficial club and in an unofficial way banded together to fight back.
My aunt and Mrs. Ford went on to live long and happy lives. Mrs. Bayh’s breast cancer claimed her life a few short years later.
There are two messages for my readers in this column.
Cancer insinuates itself into the lives of people famous and common, those with access to the most expensive treatment available and those who are left to rely on small hospitals in small towns.
The second message is that the First Lady of the United States, the fantastic Betty Ford, moved quietly throughout America touching the lives of people at all levels of society.
I cannot imagine how many people in small towns and cities in America heard from Betty Ford with a message of encouragement and hope. But I would bet there were many.
While America was very fortunate to have Gerry Ford in our time of crisis during the Watergate scandal, we were equally lucky that he brought with him Betty Bloomer Ford when he moved into The White House.
