During his presidency, Joe Biden faced relentless scrutiny over his health. Much of it centered on questions about his cognitive fitness. But the story of Biden’s medical history began long before the White House.<\/p>\n
![\"Senator](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/MP74vffvG694VX8xkb7WGjIFXonXLUN9kbmprgVPT-8\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vYTdiMzRmODY1ODRlNWRhMmU1Y2U2NGY0MGM5ZTEyZWY0N2VmZjVmYjNhNmIwNzAxMGRlMzg1MjM0NDQyZmY1NS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MTYxMiZoZWlnaHQ9MjQwMA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSenator Joe Biden in January 1, 1988 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The former president has endured a string of serious health challenges \u2014 from brain bleeds to cancer that reached his bones. His battle with illness has stretched over decades, shaped his political path, and altered his personal life. It all began with a moment that nearly ended everything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A Sudden Collapse and a Life-Threatening Diagnosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nIt was 4:10 a.m. on a cold winter morning in 1988. Biden lay on the floor of a hotel room, fully clothed, jolted awake by a blinding bolt of pain in his head. He would later\u00a0describe it<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as “a rip of pain like I never felt before.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Senator.](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/1508c6091b96f16ba710228abee33edfcb64b2567f33a9c698b648f8cb773c97.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSenator. Joe Biden announcing his bid for 1988 Democratic presidential nomination in June 1, 1987 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nFor nearly a year, headaches had plagued the then 45-year-old senator. They were relentless, interrupting his first presidential campaign. He consumed up to ten Tylenol a day, convinced it was a pinched nerve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBut this pain was different and unbearable so he rushed to St. Francis Hospital. Tests revealed blood in his spinal fluid \u2014 a sign of internal bleeding. Scans showed an aneurysm, a balloon-like bulge on an artery at the base of his brain. It had ruptured, spilling blood around the brainstem and his condition was critical.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Senator](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/54036e795296420121f2af500147dcab6623e55e5d51019be73f853c714d92d7.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSenator Joe Biden in January 1990 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nFearing the local hospital couldn’t handle the complexity of the case, Biden’s family insisted on a transfer to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There, he underwent emergency surgery. Surgeons clipped the damaged vessel to stop the bleeding. But another threat loomed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDoctors found a second aneurysm on the opposite side of his brain. It had not yet ruptured, but it would require another surgery later that year. The operations sidelined Biden for months and his recovery was slow and uncertain, ending his presidential bid at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/c1bad175da23cf903fb7e0ac7e144b5f628b06a62ac3f4b67086a5de4bc702f3.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nPortrait of Senator Joe Biden in his office shot in September of 1988. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe crisis didn’t end with brain surgery. In 1989, Biden faced another life-threatening emergency. As he continued recovering from his aneurysms, Biden was diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms \u2014\u00a0blood clots<\/u><\/a>\u00a0that travel to the lungs and block arteries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nHe was again hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Doctors discovered a clot had lodged in one of his lungs. While it caused no damage, the condition itself was serious. If left untreated, pulmonary embolisms can be fatal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Jose](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/e53897f83ddacb0c096ffc487f92e273bceeadecd0444153230f5c2e322c9da8.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJose Biden, speaks on July 13, 1989 before a House of Representatives panel | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe complication extended his hospital stay. Biden would later reveal that doctors gave him less than a 50 percent chance of survival. The embolism, combined with the aneurysms, made his odds even worse.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt was a grim chapter in a growing list of medical threats. In 1996, Biden underwent a colonoscopy. A polyp was found and removed. It was benign.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAround the same period,\u00a0he was also diagnosed<\/u><\/a>\u00a0with an enlarged prostate. He manages the condition with Flomax, a common medication used to relieve urinary symptoms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/deabed65ed8fba2b2ad69cd8ded3dfa6b9667b5c538438442f66731ac808c29a.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden as he rehearses for his speech for Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 27, 1996 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nNew concerns emerged in the early 2000s. In June 2003, Biden had his gallbladder removed. Not long after, he experienced an irregular heartbeat \u2014 atrial fibrillation. The condition returned in July 2006 and later that year, he sought further treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDoctors linked the heart rhythm disorder to sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Atrial fibrillation can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, and a higher risk of stroke. At the time, Biden was advised to take daily aspirin as a preventive measure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/b58ab4e5ecd35a378ca7ed135c3dec735b34dfe5bc52195caf01c9e6f1d3e71f.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden during an interview in his office on February 5, 2003 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nCardiac specialist Dr. Hugh Calkins of Johns Hopkins University noted that atrial fibrillation is common in aging men and believed the condition wouldn’t affect Biden’s ability to serve in public office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n2015: A Family Tragedy that Left Him Devastated<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nIn 2015, Biden faced a deeply personal loss that would reshape his public life. It was not his own diagnosis this time, but that of his eldest son, Beau Biden. The former Delaware attorney general was just 46 years old when he died from glioblastoma \u2014 an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Beau](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/bc09217408312b263467a89c53ff7ee8caddc2867a547902d15822165a651a47.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nBeau Biden pictured in Boston on Sept. 22, 2008. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe loss devastated Biden. Years later, as he launched his presidential campaign, Biden spoke openly about how Beau remained present in his life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n“He walks with me. I know that sounds to some people kind of silly, but he really, honest-to-God does,” Biden\u00a0told<\/u><\/a>\u00a0MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in 2020. “I know he’s in me, I know he’s part of me.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nBy 2019, Biden was once again in the public eye, this time as a leading candidate in the race for president. His campaign appearances prompted scrutiny. Critics pointed to verbal missteps and questioned his energy. The release of Biden’s\u00a0medical records<\/u><\/a>\u00a0was part of a broader push to assure voters he was physically and mentally\u00a0fit for office.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBy then, Biden had\u00a0a well-documented history:<\/u><\/a>\u00a0aneurysms, embolisms, atrial fibrillation, and more. But he also had regular care and a team of physicians monitoring his health. In November 2021, another medical development was added to the long list of\u00a0health updates<\/a>\u00a0on Biden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/88c7d2f733115ed78c66784254f184f8d4fc243907254714ea86ba2df4530f06.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden holds a campaign event at the IBEW Local 490 on June 4, 2019 in Concord, New Hampshire. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDuring a routine colonoscopy, doctors discovered and removed a polyp from his colon. The White House\u00a0described it<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as \u201cbenign but potentially pre-cancerous.” Though the removal was successful, the findings prompted concern.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe polyp had not been addressed earlier and had grown over time \u2014 a detail that raised questions despite assurances from the medical team. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician, identified the growth as a tubular adenoma.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/89140ce3cec23dbc0b0232b7c873d492334b15fb7e644be34a9bc80183cb6674.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden after arriving in the UK for the G7 summit amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. June 2021 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThese types of polyps are common and typically slow-growing. However, they carry the potential to become malignant if left untreated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n2023: Routine Checkup, New Concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIn July 2022, Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time. His symptoms were mild \u2014 a runny nose, fatigue, and a dry cough. He remained in isolation at the White House residence and continued working remotely. His medical team administered Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment authorized for high-risk individuals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThough public updates aimed to reassure the country, Biden’s diagnosis came at a time of lingering national anxiety over the virus. He appeared on Zoom to conduct meetings, trying to project stability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/012ce84b4a6f7f786c16dc45076c79e298ab9561659eae7ac7cc49a5e5254656.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden speaks to reporters on January 6, 2022 in Washington, DC. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nJust days after testing negative, Biden experienced a rebound case \u2014 a known risk following Paxlovid treatment. He again isolated and resumed treatment. This second round also passed without complications, and he was soon declared fully recovered.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIn 2023, Biden underwent a routine physical and his physician\u00a0described him<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as “healthy,” “vigorous,” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nStill, the exam revealed a small lesion on his chest. It was removed and sent for biopsy. The results were pending at the time of the physician’s report. Other evaluations, including exams of his ears, eyes, throat, and neurological system, were normal. A detailed neurologic review showed no signs of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/d6f56468be3496fb201cd612f94036a96f19f665491ee6b488f051c9b2c4d135.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden disembarking from Air Force One at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City on September 17, 2023. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nSkin Cancer Diagnosis and Another COVID-19 Disruption<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nThat year, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest. A biopsy confirmed it was basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. The lesion was treated successfully, and no additional procedures were needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDr. O’Connor\u00a0stated<\/u><\/a>\u00a0in a public memo that the area had “healed nicely” and that no further treatment was required. It marked the first time Biden had been publicly diagnosed with any form of cancer while in office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/9583a48d1a78c833b3f67f7ee6c936b58538fcfedbf2811a369019bbec7b8d25.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nFormer U.S. President Joe Biden arriving on Air Force One at Stansted Airport in Essex, England on July 9, 2023. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nIn 2024, Biden again tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis came at a critical moment \u2014 disrupting a key campaign event aimed at boosting support among Latino voters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs before, Biden experienced only mild symptoms. He received a dose of Paxlovid and was fully vaccinated and boosted. “I feel good,” he\u00a0told<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reporters in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/bc62b2cc981de1bc605cfc66c2456684cef1bc08c79b2ea41321bc20fb77ae05.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nJoe Biden speaks during a campaign event at Pearson Community Center in North Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\nAdvertisement<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThe campaign schedule was briefly adjusted, but Biden resumed public duties shortly after recovering. By June 2024, concerns about Biden’s health reached a breaking point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDuring a televised presidential debate, the then-incumbent appeared visibly disoriented. He paused mid-sentence, lost his\u00a0train of thought<\/u><\/a>, and struggled to respond to direct questions. The performance stunned even his strongest supporters. While aides initially blamed a cold, internal reports suggested something far more serious.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/254d681026e3a3cfe580cfc3f61d180850d5d9ccecfc43d890cada833a3dc3d1.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nPresident Joe Biden delivers remarks during an event with healthcare advocates and stakeholder on April 03, 2024 in Washington, DC. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe debate marked a turning point. Days later, Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 race. The move cleared the path for former Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the Democratic nomination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n
It was 4:10 a.m. on a cold winter morning in 1988. Biden lay on the floor of a hotel room, fully clothed, jolted awake by a blinding bolt of pain in his head. He would later\u00a0describe it<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as “a rip of pain like I never felt before.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Senator. Joe Biden announcing his bid for 1988 Democratic presidential nomination in June 1, 1987 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n For nearly a year, headaches had plagued the then 45-year-old senator. They were relentless, interrupting his first presidential campaign. He consumed up to ten Tylenol a day, convinced it was a pinched nerve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But this pain was different and unbearable so he rushed to St. Francis Hospital. Tests revealed blood in his spinal fluid \u2014 a sign of internal bleeding. Scans showed an aneurysm, a balloon-like bulge on an artery at the base of his brain. It had ruptured, spilling blood around the brainstem and his condition was critical.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Senator Joe Biden in January 1990 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Fearing the local hospital couldn’t handle the complexity of the case, Biden’s family insisted on a transfer to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There, he underwent emergency surgery. Surgeons clipped the damaged vessel to stop the bleeding. But another threat loomed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Doctors found a second aneurysm on the opposite side of his brain. It had not yet ruptured, but it would require another surgery later that year. The operations sidelined Biden for months and his recovery was slow and uncertain, ending his presidential bid at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Portrait of Senator Joe Biden in his office shot in September of 1988. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The crisis didn’t end with brain surgery. In 1989, Biden faced another life-threatening emergency. As he continued recovering from his aneurysms, Biden was diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms \u2014\u00a0blood clots<\/u><\/a>\u00a0that travel to the lungs and block arteries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n He was again hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Doctors discovered a clot had lodged in one of his lungs. While it caused no damage, the condition itself was serious. If left untreated, pulmonary embolisms can be fatal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Jose Biden, speaks on July 13, 1989 before a House of Representatives panel | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The complication extended his hospital stay. Biden would later reveal that doctors gave him less than a 50 percent chance of survival. The embolism, combined with the aneurysms, made his odds even worse.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It was a grim chapter in a growing list of medical threats. In 1996, Biden underwent a colonoscopy. A polyp was found and removed. It was benign.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Around the same period,\u00a0he was also diagnosed<\/u><\/a>\u00a0with an enlarged prostate. He manages the condition with Flomax, a common medication used to relieve urinary symptoms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden as he rehearses for his speech for Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 27, 1996 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n New concerns emerged in the early 2000s. In June 2003, Biden had his gallbladder removed. Not long after, he experienced an irregular heartbeat \u2014 atrial fibrillation. The condition returned in July 2006 and later that year, he sought further treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Doctors linked the heart rhythm disorder to sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Atrial fibrillation can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, and a higher risk of stroke. At the time, Biden was advised to take daily aspirin as a preventive measure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden during an interview in his office on February 5, 2003 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Cardiac specialist Dr. Hugh Calkins of Johns Hopkins University noted that atrial fibrillation is common in aging men and believed the condition wouldn’t affect Biden’s ability to serve in public office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In 2015, Biden faced a deeply personal loss that would reshape his public life. It was not his own diagnosis this time, but that of his eldest son, Beau Biden. The former Delaware attorney general was just 46 years old when he died from glioblastoma \u2014 an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Beau Biden pictured in Boston on Sept. 22, 2008. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The loss devastated Biden. Years later, as he launched his presidential campaign, Biden spoke openly about how Beau remained present in his life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “He walks with me. I know that sounds to some people kind of silly, but he really, honest-to-God does,” Biden\u00a0told<\/u><\/a>\u00a0MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in 2020. “I know he’s in me, I know he’s part of me.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n By 2019, Biden was once again in the public eye, this time as a leading candidate in the race for president. His campaign appearances prompted scrutiny. Critics pointed to verbal missteps and questioned his energy. The release of Biden’s\u00a0medical records<\/u><\/a>\u00a0was part of a broader push to assure voters he was physically and mentally\u00a0fit for office.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n By then, Biden had\u00a0a well-documented history:<\/u><\/a>\u00a0aneurysms, embolisms, atrial fibrillation, and more. But he also had regular care and a team of physicians monitoring his health. In November 2021, another medical development was added to the long list of\u00a0health updates<\/a>\u00a0on Biden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden holds a campaign event at the IBEW Local 490 on June 4, 2019 in Concord, New Hampshire. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n During a routine colonoscopy, doctors discovered and removed a polyp from his colon. The White House\u00a0described it<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as \u201cbenign but potentially pre-cancerous.” Though the removal was successful, the findings prompted concern.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The polyp had not been addressed earlier and had grown over time \u2014 a detail that raised questions despite assurances from the medical team. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician, identified the growth as a tubular adenoma.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden after arriving in the UK for the G7 summit amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. June 2021 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n These types of polyps are common and typically slow-growing. However, they carry the potential to become malignant if left untreated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In July 2022, Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time. His symptoms were mild \u2014 a runny nose, fatigue, and a dry cough. He remained in isolation at the White House residence and continued working remotely. His medical team administered Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment authorized for high-risk individuals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Though public updates aimed to reassure the country, Biden’s diagnosis came at a time of lingering national anxiety over the virus. He appeared on Zoom to conduct meetings, trying to project stability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden speaks to reporters on January 6, 2022 in Washington, DC. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Just days after testing negative, Biden experienced a rebound case \u2014 a known risk following Paxlovid treatment. He again isolated and resumed treatment. This second round also passed without complications, and he was soon declared fully recovered.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In 2023, Biden underwent a routine physical and his physician\u00a0described him<\/u><\/a>\u00a0as “healthy,” “vigorous,” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Still, the exam revealed a small lesion on his chest. It was removed and sent for biopsy. The results were pending at the time of the physician’s report. Other evaluations, including exams of his ears, eyes, throat, and neurological system, were normal. A detailed neurologic review showed no signs of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden disembarking from Air Force One at John F. Kennedy airport in New York City on September 17, 2023. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n That year, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest. A biopsy confirmed it was basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. The lesion was treated successfully, and no additional procedures were needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dr. O’Connor\u00a0stated<\/u><\/a>\u00a0in a public memo that the area had “healed nicely” and that no further treatment was required. It marked the first time Biden had been publicly diagnosed with any form of cancer while in office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Former U.S. President Joe Biden arriving on Air Force One at Stansted Airport in Essex, England on July 9, 2023. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In 2024, Biden again tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis came at a critical moment \u2014 disrupting a key campaign event aimed at boosting support among Latino voters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As before, Biden experienced only mild symptoms. He received a dose of Paxlovid and was fully vaccinated and boosted. “I feel good,” he\u00a0told<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reporters in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at Pearson Community Center in North Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The campaign schedule was briefly adjusted, but Biden resumed public duties shortly after recovering. By June 2024, concerns about Biden’s health reached a breaking point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n During a televised presidential debate, the then-incumbent appeared visibly disoriented. He paused mid-sentence, lost his\u00a0train of thought<\/u><\/a>, and struggled to respond to direct questions. The performance stunned even his strongest supporters. While aides initially blamed a cold, internal reports suggested something far more serious.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n President Joe Biden delivers remarks during an event with healthcare advocates and stakeholder on April 03, 2024 in Washington, DC. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The debate marked a turning point. Days later, Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 race. The move cleared the path for former Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the Democratic nomination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Senator.](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/Ugp1IwzgvpxIgMZqk7UynCDFgS0hqciPTNT59DgYl2M\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vMTUwOGM2MDkxYjk2ZjE2YmE3MTAyMjhhYmVlMzNlZGZjYjY0YjI1NjdmMzNhOWM2OThiNjQ4ZjhjYjc3M2M5Ny5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MzAzMiZoZWlnaHQ9MjAwOA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Senator](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/iIFbPOG6DLu3EmU8IKECxKm_c7q8VX-qnQbfZDgXAyk\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vNTQwMzZlNzk1Mjk2NDIwMTIxZjJhZjUwMDE0N2RjYWI2NjIzZTU1ZTVkNTEwMTliZTczZjg1M2M3MTRkOTJkNy5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MzAxNiZoZWlnaHQ9MjAwMA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/00MOZWtja9uK6HTt8LYh2i5uaJLDcFasgMY7Ka5x8Cs\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vYzFiYWQxNzVkYTIzY2Y5MDNmYjdlMGFjN2UxNDRiNWY2MjhiMDZhNjJhYzNmNGI2NzA4NmE1ZGU0YmM3MDJmMy5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MzAwMCZoZWlnaHQ9MTk3NA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Jose](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/q-0tbQNpdzS13cwBa00uU0ABZ4CNsWtaFKF1nJg4DIE\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vZTUzODk3ZjgzZGRhY2IwYzA5NmZmYzQ4N2Y5MmUyNzNiY2VlYWRlY2QwNDQ0MTUzMjMwZjVjMmUzMjJjOWRhOC5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NTYxNiZoZWlnaHQ9Mzc0NA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/JzxmQG2TcO7jvK2qYl8Gcl15-_SLFHecaoWbV1hwr3M\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vZGVhYmVkNjVlZDhmYmEyYjJhZDY5Y2Q4ZGVkM2RmYTZiOTY2N2I1YzUzODQzODQ0MmY2NjczMWFjODA4YzI5YS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MTc0NCZoZWlnaHQ9MjA0OA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/U7TVVww6bGC8nEM8JBQ3M1f9HYh7ehYRDLDDOQiJ8s8\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vYjU4YWI0ZTVlY2QzNWEzNzhjYTdlZDEzNWMzZGVjNzM1YjM0ZGZlNWJjNTIxOTVjYWYwMWM5ZTZmMWQzZTcxZi5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MzAwOCZoZWlnaHQ9MTk2MA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n2015: A Family Tragedy that Left Him Devastated<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Beau](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/HIujdfMLwuje_3duZlbiXC-4wJ8ZIuOyB55vYSO0NH0\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vYmMwOTIxNzQwODMxMmIyNjM0NjdhODljNTNmZjdlZThjYWRkYzI4NjdhNTQ3OTAyZDE1ODIyMTY1YTY1MWE0Ny5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MjE3MiZoZWlnaHQ9MzIwNA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/a2JxkI2mH4lsJ3ZmVFaz72Pw9hOTGc_b08TWFAKH5BM\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vODhjN2QyZjczMzExNWVkNzhjNjY3ODQyNTRmMTg0ZjhkNGZjMjQzOTA3MjU0NzE0ZWE4NmJhMmRmNDUzMGYwNi5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NDYxMiZoZWlnaHQ9MzA3NQ.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/261h7ZB04ie4RIy9sPZr2hcd9Sh6Qn49nnS4wqvJabA\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vODkxNDBjZTNjZWMyM2RiYzBiMDIzMmI3Yzg3M2Q0OTIzMzRiMTVmYjdlNjQ0YmUzNGE5YmM4MDE4M2NiNjY3NC5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NTM3MiZoZWlnaHQ9MzkwNA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n2023: Routine Checkup, New Concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/j_NlvPCyGkB7omccLQlC-MOW52jxuVUdiUSWpds9lR0\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vMDEyY2U4NGI0YTZmN2Y3ODZjMTZkYzQ1MDc2Yzc5ZTI5OGFiOTU2MTY1OWVhZTdhYzdjYzQ5YTVlNTI1NDY1Ni5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NjMwNCZoZWlnaHQ9NDMzMw.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/DF78jQCumG9zhlHEJR6Bx6wFexFEQ8prtr8pC6MEcFA\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vZDZmNTY0NjhiZTM0OTZmYjIwMWNkNjEyZjk0MDM2YTk2ZjE5ZjY2NTQ5MWVlNmI0ODhmMDUxYzliMmM0ZDEzNS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MzAwMCZoZWlnaHQ9MTgwNw.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSkin Cancer Diagnosis and Another COVID-19 Disruption<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Former](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/VXy61CxdpWWpufsEdXVbdg1LuM_552X4I9ENnQuEKi8\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vOTU4M2E0OGQxYTc4YzgzM2IzZjY3ZjdlZTZjOTM2YjU4NTM4ZmNmZWRiZjI4MTFhMzY5MDE5YmJlYzdiOGQyNS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MTU2MiZoZWlnaHQ9MjM1Mg.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/8Nfs-st8JVRl_rcMmfQCZltv1OEtzZmJo3Sl9f4viW4\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vYmM2MmIyY2M5ODFkZTFiYzYwNWNmYzY2YzI0NTY2ODRjZWYxYmMwOGM3OWIyZWE0MTMyMWJjMjBmYjc3YWUwNS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9MjQwMCZoZWlnaHQ9MTYwMA.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/Q0OwlCkC22xnTWeluyxDhgy1BdL96UXWe9o1Z3cYYiA\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vMjU0ZDY4MTAyNmUzYTNjZmU1ODBjZmMzZjYxZDE4MDg1MGQ1ZDljY2VjZmM0M2Q4OTBjYWRhODMzYTNkYzNkMS5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NTcyMiZoZWlnaHQ9MzgxNQ.jpg)
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