When former First Lady Betty Ford died on Friday at the age of 93, she left behind a legacy.
The cancer awareness advocate and inspiration to those who suffered from various forms of addiction, was remembered by many, including Maria Shriver, who said in a statement: "Mrs. Ford was a courageous pioneer, a groundbreaking First Lady, and a forceful advocate for anyone suffering from addiction or breast cancer. America fought her struggles with her and learned alongside her. She was brave, outspoken and kind."
It is almost impossible to express the unlikelihood of a First Lady stepping up and publicly admitting to a suffering from a condition that was to that point in history completely shrouded in shame and secrecy. The history of the office of First Lady had not been kind to those with mental health issues. Keep in mind that just some 100 years previously Abraham Lincoln’s spouse, Mary Todd Lincoln was relegated to incarceration at a Psychiatric facility permanently by her own son when she developed unpleasant symptoms. Betty seemed unintimidated by this history and she allowed her mid western sensibility to prevail. In her own treatment she had come to understand that addiction is a biological disease and it had an effective treatment. Betty understood that many refused to admit they had the condition or seek treatment because of the legacy of shame associated with alcoholism and addiction. An especially biting stigma had always been reserved for women with this disorder who could only dream of a day when a revered and prominent woman would come forward to advocate on their behalf. Betty’s deep appreciation of the pain of addiction sufferers motivated her to simply put aside her fear of personal harm and tell her story.
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