Betty Ford biography

Political Will

Weeks after Betty Ford became first lady, she was diagnosed with malignant breast cancer during a routine exam. Ford underwent a mastectomy, and her openness about her illness raised visibility for a disease that Americans had previously been reluctant to discuss. During her convalescence, she realized the influence and power being a first lady had on influencing policy and creating change. She supported the Equal Rights Amendment,

and lobbied hard for its passage. She also became a strong advocate for a women's right to free choice in many decisions that affected their lives. As a result of her efforts, TIME magazine named her woman of the year in 1975.

In 1976, Betty Ford showed her innate political skills when her husband ran for the presidency against Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter, who formerly served as governor of Georgia. The first lady played a highly visible role during the campaign. She not only advocated for her husband, but also stood as a symbol of a moderate Republican as the conservative Republican wing of the party began to emerge. Betty taped radio ads, spoke at rallies, and campaigned hard, despite the tremendous strain on her health. Though most of her activities were spontaneous, she was often confined to stops in moderate-to-liberal states by the campaign staff, who worried at times that Betty Ford was appearing more liberal than Rosalynn Carter, the Democratic candidate's wife. She remained very popular with the public, however, and many supporters for President Ford wore buttons saying "Vote for Betty's Husband." When Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in the election, it was Betty Ford who delivered his concession speech, due to her husband's bout with laryngitis in the last days of the campaign.

Struggle with Addiction

Since the early 1960s, Betty Ford had been taking opioid analgesics for pain from a pinched nerve. Her dependency on these drugs had dissipated during her time in the White House, but after leaving Washington, D.C., her drinking of alcohol increased—as did her use of prescription drugs. In 1978, the Ford family staged an intervention, and forced Betty to confront her addition to alcohol and pain pills. After her initial anger over the intrusion in her life, Betty remained home for a week, and underwent a monitored detoxification. She then entered Long Beach Naval Hospital for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. There, the former first lady shared a room with other women, cleaned restrooms, and participated in emotional therapy sessions. In keeping with her sense of authenticity, Betty fully disclosed her addictions and resulting treatment to the public shortly after her release from the hospital.

The experience in drug rehab had a profound effect on Betty. She realized during her convalescence that, as a former first lady, she had the power to create change and affect behavior. She also realized there was no recovery facility specifically established to help women with the unique problems associated with drug and alcohol abuse.