Betty Ford: Raising Breast Cancer Awareness

Just weeks after she became First Lady, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer. On September 26, 1974, doctors discovered a lump in her breast during a routine medical examination. She underwent a mastectomy two days later. Breaking with social conventions of the time, Betty Ford shared her cancer diagnosis with the public.

This might not seem unusual today, in an era where “Pink October” is internationally recognized, but Betty Ford’s promotion of early breast cancer screenings in the 1970s was so effective that it led to the “Betty Ford blip.” Record numbers of women received breast examinations—many for the first time. In publicizing her health struggle, she reassured women suffering from similar hardships and purposefully raised awareness of screening and treatment options.