Personal stories of those impacted by cancer, opioid epidemic
As he reupped his "Unity Agenda" -- aimed at improving mental health, supporting veterans, beating the opioid epidemic and fighting cancer -- Biden shared personal stories of some of the guests in the audience.
"Joining us tonight is a father named Doug from Newton, New Hampshire," Biden said. "He wrote Jill and me a letter about his daughter Courtney. Contagious laugh. Her sister’s best friend. ... Courtney discovered pills in high school. It spiraled into addiction and eventually her death from a fentanyl overdose. She was 20 years old."
Biden said her family's been working since her death to end stigma and change laws. "Doug, we're with you," he said.
He next introduced Maurice and Kandice, whose daughter Ava was diagnoses with a rare kidney cancer when she was 1 year old. Ava had to undergo 26 blood transfusions, 11 rounds of radiation, 8 rounds of chemo and had one of her kidneys removed, Biden said.
"They never gave up hope," Biden said. "Ava never gave up hope. She turns 4 next month. They just found out that Ava beat the odds and is on her way to being cancer free, and she’s watching from the White House tonight."
The president, whose oldest son, Beau, died of cancer, has made working to end the disease a major health priority of his administration.