Former President Joe Biden said Sunday he will scale back appearances on the tour for his upcoming memoir, “Promise Me, America,” as he continues treatment for prostate cancer.
Biden made the announcement on X, explaining that the diagnosis came while he was writing the book.
“While writing the book, I was diagnosed with cancer, a disease known all too well to millions of Americans and their families,” he wrote. “My doctors continue to be encouraged by how I’ve responded to treatment. And the prayers and kind words and well wishes from so many of you have meant more to me and Jill and our family than you can ever know.”
He said his condition varies from day to day, which will limit how many public conversations he can hold about the book.
“Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down. What that means is, unfortunately, I won’t be able to do as many conversations about my book as I’d hoped,” he said. “However, I’m hopeful the words on the page speak for themselves.”
Biden closed his statement by invoking a line he attributed to his father.
“Looking forward, I’m going to keep following what my father told me a long time ago: ‘Champ, when you get knocked down, get up,'” he said. “It’s a good lesson for me. And for America. We are blessed. America is the most unique nation on earth. Unlike other countries, we’re built on an idea. An idea bigger than any ocean. More powerful than any army. Stronger than any tyrant or dictator. That idea? All of us are created equal. Promise Me, America, we’ll never forget it.”
Earlier update on his diagnosis
In September, Biden had given a public update on his cancer and urged men, particularly Black men, to seek screening.
“More than 330,000 American men this year will hear the words we did last spring when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. By the time we found it, it had already spread to my bones,” he said at the time. “When prostate cancer is caught early, the five-year survival is close to 100%.”
He encouraged men to talk with their doctors without delay.
“So have the conversation with your doctor. Don’t put it off,” he continued. “If you’re at average risk, that conversation should start around 50, and the guidelines now say screening every 2 to 4 years. If you’re a Black man, start it at 45 or earlier. You are nearly 70% more likely to get this disease and 2 to 4 times more likely to die from it. Which is an outrage in the richest country in the world. If your father or your brother had prostate cancer, start the conversation at 45, and even earlier if more than one of them did.”
