Betty Ford was a First Lady in her own class. Presidents have libraries with their names attached for their legacy. Betty Ford has a drug and alcohol treatment facility tying her name with the legacy of survivor. Betty Ford was only in the White House for a short time and yet, during her tenure, changed the role of the First Lady forever.

She was a staunch and outspoken supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment which was opposed by her husband’s political party. She survived Breast Cancer as the First Lady and turned her survival into a campaign for American women for early detection and treatment.

Through it all, over the years, she became increasingly dependent on prescription drugs and alcohol. This made Susan, the Fords’ youngest child and only daughter, very strong and independent. She was in high school during the White House years and received Secret Service protection when she was targeted by the Symbionese Liberation Army even before her father became President. Her Senior prom was in the East Room of the White House. And when her mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, she became the White House Hostess.

Of the four Ford children, Susan, was the only one who had the courage to arrange an intervention to confront her mother. She realized that her mother had no friends and was increasingly at risk of harm to herself. The intervention was successful as was the treatment. However, it was some years later before Betty Ford went public with her story. And with a gender specific treatment program for the recovery of drug and alcohol addiction, which she poured her life into. A legacy of recovery that has inspired thousands.

Susan Ford Bales continues the work begun by her mother at the Betty Ford Clinic. And is a spokesperson for Breast Cancer Research, Diagnosis and Treatment. No one will ever be able to count the lives changed and saved because two women spoke up.

Tags: American women, Betty Ford, Betty Ford Clinic, Breast Cancer, Equal Rights Amendment, First Lady, Susan Ford Bales, suvivor, White House

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 3:17 am and is filed under LBD Style, Mothers and Daughters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.