North Charleston woman to join First Lady Jill Biden for State of the Union address

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCBD)- A North Charleston woman will join First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in her viewing box for the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

Darlene Gaffney is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in March 2015. Drawing on her own experience, Gaffney has worked to educate the community about the importance of early detection and recommended screenings as part of the Cancer Support Ministry at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston.

Gaffney met with the First Lady in 2021 at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center during a visit to promote breast cancer awareness.

According to White House officials, each individual joining Dr. Biden was invited because they “personify issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or they embody the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies at work for the American people.

In early 2022, President Biden and Dr. Biden announced a reignition of the Cancer Moonshot initiative with the goals to reduce the cancer death rate by half within 25 years and improve the lives of those living with cancer and survivors.

The Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, is also expected to join the First Lady in her viewing box for the address.