Mary J. Blige spent time with first lady Jill Biden at the White House on Monday as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce deaths from cancer.
Biden and Blige sat with cancer survivors and oncology experts for a roundtable centered around Biden’s “moonshot” cancer-fighting effort, USA Today reported.
Blige became emotional when sharing her own personal experiences with losing loved ones to cancer.
“So I’m convinced that if all my aunts, godmothers, and grandparents had seen campaigns like this,” Blige said before taking a long pause.
“Oh, God,” she said. “They would have a different outcome today.”
Blige has since dedicated time to raising awareness of the importance of preventative screenings and “reminding people that their health is your wealth and urging them to make it a priority,” she explained.
Biden hosted the event inside the State Dining Room at the White House as part of the Biden administration’s Cancer Moonshot initiative. The latest roundtable is part of the American Cancer Society’s series of national roundtables on breast and cervical cancer.
The roundtables held at the White House are aimed at bringing together oncology experts to help improve the lives of people living with cancer and support their families.
“Mary, thank you for lending your powerful voice to this cause,” Biden told Blige after she shared her story.
There were about 100 attendees mostly decked out in pink in honor of breast cancer awareness.
“The Cancer Moonshot is about a future where we don’t have to be afraid of cancer anymore. And today, we are coming together to make that future real,” Biden said during the event.
“None of us can beat cancer alone, and it will take all of us putting patients and their loved ones at the center of their own cancer journey, from screenings to survivorship.”