Pool Reports by Katie Rogers, The New York Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 15, 2022 12:12 |
FLOTUS travel pool #1: Unannounced coffee visit with Wasserman Schultz Around 11:30 a.m., the first lady made an unscheduled stop at Helena's Coffee in Plantation, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, where she met with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose district includes Plantation. She will appear with the first lady at her next event, which is meant to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The first lady ordered a black coffee, then two of them spoke at a table in the middle of the shop for about five minutes before coffee- drinkers began approaching her and asking for photos. Then people began approaching Anthony Bernal, her senior adviser, and asking him if he'd take their photos. (He kindly obliged.) One of the people who approached her was Brian Jassem, a Plantation resident, whose wife, Pam Jassem, is a civics teacher. They said they were surprised to see the first lady, but Brian said that they were supporters of the Bidens. "I asked her if it would be okay if I took a picture to show my students," Pam said. Pam was holding her six-year-old daughter. As they were taking a picture, the first lady asked the little girl if she knew that she was a teacher, too. "She said, 'your mommy and I are colleagues," Pam said. A photo of that interaction is here: The pool was guided outside as the first lady greeted others who asked for photos. Handing off to local poolers for the next event but here is background from the White House: Background | First Lady Jill Biden and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz visit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center ahead of National Mammography Day and to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month On Saturday, October 15th at 11:45 AM ET as part of the Biden Administration's Cancer Moonshot and to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, First Lady Jill Biden, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli will visit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Broward County, Florida to highlight breast cancer survivorship. Their visit will focus on the challenges that breast cancer survivors face, as well as the center's research and programs that support survivors and their families. Upon arrival, the First Lady, Dr. Bertagnolli, and Rep. Wasserman Schultz will greet with Dr. Stephen Nimer, Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dr. Alejandra Perez, Medical Director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester. After that, Dr. Nimer and Dr. Perez will lead them a tour of the center. Along the way, they will meet with breast cancer doctors, breast cancer survivors, cancer researchers, and nurse navigators who support cancer survivors. They will hear about Sylvester's programs and supportive services for cancer survivors and their loved ones, such as its Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic. They will also hear about Sylvester's research on how to best meet the needs of cancer survivors and their families. Speaking Program:
*Dr. Monica Bertagnolli will be finishing her second week as the new Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Monica Bertagnolli recently joined the First Lady on October 7th, for a visit to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center to highlight advances in breast cancer research and programs that support breast cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated cancer center and part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, and the only academic-based cancer center in South Florida. It serves as the hub for cancer-related research, diagnosis, and treatment at UHealth. Sylvester has nearly 400 cancer-focused physicians and researchers. Sylvester is comprised of 10 locations, all within 35 miles from Sylvester's main location in Miami. Overview of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers: NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific leadership in laboratory and clinical research, and for serving communities with programs and services tailored to their unique needs and populations. NCI provides support and funding for their research infrastructure. Many, but not all, of these centers are affiliated with university medical centers. Of the 1,500 cancer centers in the United States, only 71 have received NCI designation. Each year, hundreds of thousands of cancer patients are diagnosed, treated, and enrolled in clinical trials at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. In addition, many of these centers engage in outreach related to cancer prevention and screening, particularly for underserved populations. Background on Dr. Biden's Cancer Advocacy Efforts: As First Lady, Dr. Biden works to support cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones as they navigate their cancer journey. The President and First Lady reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goal to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer — and end cancer as we know it. In 1993, after four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Dr. Biden started the Biden Breast Health Initiative in Delaware, which educated more than 10,000 high school girls about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. As Second Lady, Dr. Biden continued to stress the importance of breast cancer research and early detection. Following the Obama-Biden Administration, then-former Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden continued their cancer work through the Biden Foundation and the Biden Cancer Initiative. As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues her work emphasizing early detection efforts and the patient, family and caregiver experience with cancer. She has also focused on the importance of cancer screenings, especially those delayed or put off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has encouraged government partners, the business community, and non-profit sectors to help make screenings more accessible and available to all. In the First Lady's most recent work in Florida through Cancer Moonshot, the First Lady and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm joined Ambassador Nancy Brinker in Palm Beach County, Florida, to highlight the importance of private sector commitments and collaboration in the effort to end cancer as we know it. They toured FoundCare Palm Springs, a Federally Qualified Health Center in West Palm Beach that offers breast and cervical cancer screenings and patient navigation through its partnership with the Promise Fund of Florida. The First Lady's other recent breast cancer advocacy efforts include:
Background on the Cancer Moonshot: As Vice President, in 2016, Joe Biden led the Cancer Moonshot with the mission to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer. The cancer advocacy, patient, research and health care communities responded with tremendous energy and ingenuity. Now, President Biden has reignited the Cancer Moonshot and set a new national goal: if we work together, we can cut the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer. |
| October 15, 2022 20:32 |
FLOTUS travel pool #2: Demings event At 7 p.m., the first lady arrived at the home of Harold and Rosy Mills near Lake Butler in Windermere, appearing for what a Demings campaign official called a "women's issues meet-and-greet that includes local leaders." The opulent, waterfront home was equipped with an open bar. On the walls, several television screens were tuned to CNN. The first lady mingled with people in a crowd that included Demings. Amid the backdrop of a setting Florida sun, Demings addressed the group. She thanked the Mills family and joked that she was surprised that they still answered her phone calls. "When I think about the legislation that is sitting in the Senate waiting for a vote I know that we have some work to do," Demings said. She said she wanted to make sure that young women end up having more rights "than I currently have right now." She called the first lady "a blessing to our nation" before introducing her. FLOTUS spoke expressively about her childhood, saying that her father's service in World War II, her family'sheritage and her four sisters were instrumental in shaping her upbringing. She mentioned that her parents voted Republican. She said she came to politics later in life — as in: when she met her husband. "When I first met Joe I felt really kind of out of touch with his world in DC." "On our first date I remember saying, 'thank God I voted for him,'" she joked. In remarks that were very similar to those she delivered in Atlanta on Friday evening, she talked about encountering people who loved and supported her husband, but also people who were hurt and angry. "When extremists attack rights that the vast majority of Americans support like a woman's right to choose, or they stand in the way of affordable prescriptions or clean energy, they are letting all Americans down." She then relayed a story she shared last week, about a friend of hers who got pregnant in the late 1960s, when Dr. Biden was 17, and had to be declared psychologically unfit before a doctor would end the pregnancy. "I asked my mom, 'can she come stay with us?'" She said her mother said "of course she can," and the two never spoke of it again. Several people in the crowd murmured and nodded their heads as she spoke. Dobbs v Jackson, the SCOTUS case that overturned Roe v Wade, was "devastating," she said. "How could we go back to that time?" "Senator Rubio said that he would support a nationwide ban on abortion with no exceptions. He said that fighting for marriage equality is, and I quote him, a stupid waste of time. Government isn't a game. There's no us versus them; no teams to root for or against; just people! People. Americans from all walks of life who deserve hope." "Chief Demings knows that. She spent her career working for all Floridians and making this community safer. She will fight for legislation that protects your fundamental rights no matter, as she said, your gender, race or zip code; who you love or where you're from. And we need her in the senate now!" She pointed out POTUS had accomplished much - on infrastructure, prescription drug costs and gun safety - with only 50 votes in the Senate: "Just imagine what he could do with Senator Val Demings." "It's not going to be easy. But we know how to win because we've done it before. This group is powerful. Never forget that." "We need you in this fight too. Because politics isn't a game. There are no spectators. There's just too much at stake." She concluded her speech with an exultant prediction: "Val Demings will win." Then she moved forward to clasp hands with Demings, holding up their arms in a victory gesture. We were ushered out at 7:45 pm and will hold before heading to the airport, where she is off to Wilmington. Her weekend isn't quite done: Tomorrow she will attend the Eagles game in Philadelphia. Of note: FLOTUS appeared with Charlie Crist and Demings earlier at an event in Orlando, which was open press. Thanks to co-pooler Peter Nicholas! |
Pool Reports below by Anthony Man, South Florida Sun Sentinel
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 15, 2022 12:20 |
FLOTUS pool report 1, Dr. Biden at cancer center Dr. Biden has just arrived at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center facility in Plantation, Fla. She's accompanied by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is a breast cancer survivor. This branch of the cancer center is in Wasserman Schultz's district. The lobby at the cancer center is decorated with orange, beige and two shades of pink balloons. Among the people in the 30 seats in the room where Dr. Biden will deliver remarks are Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre, and Debbi Hixon, whose husband Chris was killed in the massacre. Local elected officials in the audience include Broward County Commissioners Steve Geller and Nan Rich, both former Democratic party leaders in the Florida Senate and state Reps. Christine Hunschofsky and Robin Bartleman, both Democrats from Broward County. Background from White House: Background | First Lady Jill Biden and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz visit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center ahead of National Mammography Day and to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month On Saturday, October 15th at 11:45 AM ET as part of the Biden Administration's Cancer Moonshot and to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, First Lady Jill Biden, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli will visit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Broward County, Florida to highlight breast cancer survivorship. Their visit will focus on the challenges that breast cancer survivors face, as well as the center's research and programs that support survivors and their families. Upon arrival, the First Lady, Dr. Bertagnolli, and Rep. Wasserman Schultz will greet with Dr. Stephen Nimer, Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dr. Alejandra Perez, Medical Director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester. After that, Dr. Nimer and Dr. Perez will lead them a tour of the center. Along the way, they will meet with breast cancer doctors, breast cancer survivors, cancer researchers, and nurse navigators who support cancer survivors. They will hear about Sylvester's programs and supportive services for cancer survivors and their loved ones, such as its Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic. They will also hear about Sylvester's research on how to best meet the needs of cancer survivors and their families. Speaking Program:
*Dr. Monica Bertagnolli will be finishing her second week as the new Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Monica Bertagnolli recently joined the First Lady on October 7th, for a visit to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center to highlight advances in breast cancer research and programs that support breast cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated cancer center and part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, and the only academic-based cancer center in South Florida. It serves as the hub for cancer-related research, diagnosis, and treatment at UHealth. Sylvester has nearly 400 cancer-focused physicians and researchers. Sylvester is comprised of 10 locations, all within 35 miles from Sylvester's main location in Miami. Overview of NCI-Designated Cancer Centers: NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific leadership in laboratory and clinical research, and for serving communities with programs and services tailored to their unique needs and populations. NCI provides support and funding for their research infrastructure. Many, but not all, of these centers are affiliated with university medical centers. Of the 1,500 cancer centers in the United States, only 71 have received NCI designation. Each year, hundreds of thousands of cancer patients are diagnosed, treated, and enrolled in clinical trials at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. In addition, many of these centers engage in outreach related to cancer prevention and screening, particularly for underserved populations. Background on Dr. Biden's Cancer Advocacy Efforts: As First Lady, Dr. Biden works to support cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones as they navigate their cancer journey. The President and First Lady reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goal to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer — and end cancer as we know it. In 1993, after four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Dr. Biden started the Biden Breast Health Initiative in Delaware, which educated more than 10,000 high school girls about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. As Second Lady, Dr. Biden continued to stress the importance of breast cancer research and early detection. Following the Obama-Biden Administration, then-former Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden continued their cancer work through the Biden Foundation and the Biden Cancer Initiative. As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues her work emphasizing early detection efforts and the patient, family and caregiver experience with cancer. She has also focused on the importance of cancer screenings, especially those delayed or put off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has encouraged government partners, the business community, and non-profit sectors to help make screenings more accessible and available to all. In the First Lady's most recent work in Florida through Cancer Moonshot, the First Lady and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm joined Ambassador Nancy Brinker in Palm Beach County, Florida, to highlight the importance of private sector commitments and collaboration in the effort to end cancer as we know it. They toured FoundCare Palm Springs, a Federally Qualified Health Center in West Palm Beach that offers breast and cervical cancer screenings and patient navigation through its partnership with the Promise Fund of Florida. The First Lady's other recent breast cancer advocacy efforts include:
Background on the Cancer Moonshot: As Vice President, in 2016, Joe Biden led the Cancer Moonshot with the mission to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer. The cancer advocacy, patient, research and health care communities responded with tremendous energy and ingenuity. Now, President Biden has reignited the Cancer Moonshot and set a new national goal: if we work together, we can cut the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer. |
| October 15, 2022 13:57 |
FLOTUS pool report 2 at cancer center Before delivering remarks, Dr. Biden met with three different groups at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center branch in Plantation, Fla. While she met with the first group everyone was masked. Dr. Biden was wearing a mask that matched her dress, which was an orange blossom print. Others wore pink masks, supplied by the cancer center. The first conversation lasted about 15 minutes. Dr. Stephen Nimer, Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said it serves a wide area in South Florida and is one of only two National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers in Florida. He also said they have a unit dedicated to firefighters, and noted POTUS 'affection for firefighters, to which FLOTUS responded, "Love the firefighters." Dr. Alejandra Perez, Medical Director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester, said it places great emphasis on risk reduction strategies and lifestyle changes. Dr. Biden heard from Karen Amlong, 75, a Broward lawyer who was the first woman from the county elected to the Florida Legislature, long retired. She said she had breast cancer and "as of last Wednesday, officially cancer free." She said her husband has prostate cancer and is being treated by Sylvester. Her husband, attorney Bill Amlong, was not present. "These people are the best," Karen Amlong said. In a second gathering, Dr. Biden and Congresswoman Wasserman Schutz met with five people, including Patricia 'Trish' Gainer Gaddis, a woman with breast cancer. Dr. Biden gave her a hug as she greeted the assembled group. "I'm honored to be here," Gaddis said. "We're honored to be with you," Dr. Biden said. As doctors explained more of their program, Gaddis said it was fine with her if people took off their masks, which the principals did. Dr. Biden was briefed about "my wellness check," which allows patients to update their status before appointments. Research shows, Sylvester representatives told Dr Biden, that the approach reduces crises and E.R. vistos for patients. About 50% of people in Sylvester clinical trials are Hispanic, and 67% of those in psychosocial trials are Hispanic. Gaddis said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 at 51. "I thought cancer was in my rearview mirror," she said. Two years later she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic cancer after she had two fractures in her back. She said she made a "decision to carry on with grace and dignity." She said she is still working 40-50-60 hours a week as a divorce lawyer. "In case I should need it?!" Dr. Biden joked. Gaddis said, "metastatic breast cancer didn't slow me down, but COVID put me in lockdown." She said she is in a clinical trial and is planning for the future. "I want to see my grandchildren grow." Later she told reporters that the only reason she remembers she has cancer is because she comes to Sylvester every Friday for bloodwork and chemotherapy. Dr. Biden and Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz had a briefing in a mammogram room, where Dr. Biden asked multiple questions of Dr. Monica Yepes, chief of breast radiology at Sylvester. Dr. Biden said she'd been reading about issues with breast cancer for women with dense breast tissue and wondered if MRIs were the appropriate screening and whether treatment is covered by insurance. (Dr. Yepes said ultrasound is the first screening in such cases, if a woman has other risk factors than an MRI might be appropriate.) |
| October 15, 2022 14:00 |
FLOTUS pool report 3 from cancer center National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli spoke before Dr. Biden at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Plantation, Fla., focusing on breast cancer and the cancer moonshot. "We're not done," she said. "While mortality rates have gone down, we have a lot more to do to end cancer as we know it for everyone." She said the disruption from Hurricane Ian for people undergoing treatment is an issue. "That's got to be a horrible thing," she said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, praised the First Lady and President Biden for working "to propel our mission forward" to promote early detection and treatment "but that one day we can really find a cure." Wasserman Schultz said Dr. Biden's effort to increase attention to breast cancer screening is essential. And she said, the administration's cancer moonshot is vital. "I know that we can finally turn the tables," Wasserman Schultz said. Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer about 15 years ago, said, "I have dedicated my personal and professional life to that same fight." And she praised the Sylvester cancer center, which is part of the University of Maiai, even though she is a University of Florida graduate. "I'm so grateful. Even though I'm a gator, I can still say that. I'm so grateful that they provide a lifeline to so many people in our communities." "Beating cancer for me was only the start of my survivorship journey," she said. "To save lives every woman must have access to the screenings she needs when she needs them… It's what saved my own life. I would not be standing here today" if it hadn't been for screening and knowing what didn't feel right in her body. Dr. Biden began her five minutes of remarks by recalling the visit she and the president made to Fort Myers Beach last week to see the destruction from Hurricane Ian and meet with victims. "The road to recovery will be long. You'e seen the pictures on the television. But the spirit and the resilience of this state will persevere. And we will be by your side every step of the way." "None of us can beat cancer alone. We survive with the love of our families, the dedication of our doctors and nurses, and the support of communities like this one." "Yes, cancer has the power; to destroy, but it can connect us aw well." Dr. Biden said "that idea of community and collaboration is at the heart of the cancer moonshot." At the end of the month, she said, the White House would convene scientists, business leaders and advocates from across the country. "Together we're going to speed up the next phase in ending breast cancer as we know it." Dr. Biden said women must get breast cancer screenings. "We can't beat cancer alone. In fact, we all have a part to play in this fight. Doing our part means getting the screenings we need." She acknowledged people are busy, "Especially the moms and the nannas out there. You're so busy taking care of everyone else it can be hard to take care of you. Mammography can save lives. and nothing on your to-do list is more important than that." "Don't wait. We owe it to ourselves and the people we love to take care of our health." |
Jill Biden, First Lady Pool Reports of October 15, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/358401