Jill Biden Says ‘Of Course I’m Scared’ of Losing Husband Joe: ‘He’s Gonna Die, So Let’s Make the Most of Every Moment’

Jill Biden said she ‘can’t imagine life without’ her husband Joe, who was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer last May. Despite the difficult emotional journey that accompanies a cancer diagnosis, Jill said she and Joe are determined to make the most of their time together.

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Jill Biden said she “can’t imagine life without” her husband Joe, who was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer last May

Despite the difficult emotional journey that accompanies a cancer diagnosis, Jill said she and Joe are determined to make the most of their time together

“He’s always been the strength of our family,” Jill said of Joe

Dr. Jill Biden is opening up about her and her husband Joe Biden’s emotional journey following his cancer diagnosis last year.

The former first lady, 75, appeared on the Jaime Kern Lima Show and reflected on her headspace amid the former president’s journey with prostate cancer, which has since spread to his bones. As both she and her husband grapple with the impending possibility of his death, Jill said she does her best to keep negative or unhelpful thoughts at bay.

“Of course I’m scared,” Jill said. “I mean, first of all, he’s almost 10 years older than I am. And with an illness ... you kinda can’t let your head go there.”

Courtesy of The Jamie Kern Lima Show

“It’s like, you can’t imagine life without them. But you know they’re going to die — just like I know I’m going to die,” she continued. “So part of it, you accept.”

Joe has been “strong” and “resilient” in the wake of his diagnosis, Jill said. He hasn’t discussed any of his own fear with Jill, she added, nor did she expect him to. “He’s always been the strength of our family,” she said.

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Though there’s no shortage of difficult emotions surrounding Joe’s health, Jill said she and her husband aren’t focused on the hardship. Rather, they’re determined to cherish whatever time they still have together.

“We can’t look at life that way ... We look at it like, ‘Joe has cancer. He’s gonna die, so let’s make the most of every moment,’ ” Jill said.

“ ‘Let’s be together ... let’s find things that bring us joy. Let’s make this a positive journey’ — I mean, not a negative journey, because how can you live with that every day?” she added. “You can’t. It’s too heavy.”

Jill’s comments come after the former president’s office announced in May 2025 that he had been diagnosed with “aggressive” grade group 5 prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones.

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About one year after Joe’s cancer diagnosis was shared publicly, Jill shared an update on her husband’s health. On the Today show on Monday, June 1, Jill said the former president was “doing okay” amid his stage 4 prostate cancer journey, though the added complication of the cancer metastasizing to his bones “makes it a whole different story.”

“I think Joe will live with cancer ‘til the rest of his life,” Jill said.

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