Former US President Joe Biden expressed his gratitude for the good wishes he received after it was announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, DPA reported, BTA reported.
"Cancer hits us all", 82-year-old Biden wrote today in "Ex", stating that he and his wife Jill, like many others, have discovered that they are strongest in the most difficult times. "Thank you for lifting (our) spirits with love and support," Biden continued.
He posted a photo of himself smiling, sitting next to his wife, who is holding their cat.
Since yesterday, it has been public knowledge that Biden has prostate cancer. Biden's office said it was an aggressive and advanced form of the disease that had spread to the bones, but added that the condition could be controlled.
President Donald Trump, Biden's predecessor and successor, expressed his best wishes for a speedy recovery after the diagnosis was announced, as did former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
"I am confident he will rise to the challenge with his signature determination and God's help," Obama wrote in "Ex". "We pray for a speedy and full recovery," the former president added. Obama served as US president from 2009 to 2017, and Biden served as his vice president.
In his post, Obama also praised Biden's actions and his dedication to cancer research. "No one has done more than Joe to find revolutionary treatments for cancer in all its forms," Obama wrote.
Biden spearheaded the ambitious Cancer Action Plan, a government research program that was launched in 2016 during his tenure as Obama's vice president.
This is not the first cancer diagnosis in the Biden family. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau, died of a brain tumor at age 46. Biden has spoken often about that loss.