Betty Ford's Legacy Celebrated In RivCo As USPS Unveils Tribute Stamp

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled artwork for a commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the life and legacy of a former first lady who left an incredible mark in Riverside County.

The stamp design was unveiled at the White House by first lady Jill Biden, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford.

A dedication ceremony for the Forever stamp will be held April 5 — three days before the 106th anniversary of Mrs. Ford's birth — at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage.

"Betty Ford changed the role of first lady," DeJoy said. "She used the role not just as a platform to represent the nation and advance and support her husband, she used it to speak openly and honestly about issues she cared about, and about personal issues she faced."

Throughout her husband’s political career, Mrs. Ford fought for women’s rights, often conflicting with the Republican Party’s stances. She campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have mandated constitutional equality for all Americans, regardless of gender.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mrs. Ford underwent a mastectomy on Sept. 28, 1974. The surgery took place less than two months after her husband was sworn into office as the nation's 38th president.

While medical issues of previous first ladies weren’t always disclosed, Mrs. Ford chose to share the story of her treatment.

In 1964, Mrs. Ford began taking prescription pain pills for a pinched nerve in her neck, developing a substance use disorder. In 1978, after an intervention, she entered the Naval Regional Medical Hospital in Long Beach for treatment.

As with her breast cancer, she publicly acknowledged her substance use disorder, changing its perception and putting a face to the disease.

In 1982, Mrs. Ford, along with former ambassador and family friend Leonard Firestone, established the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage for substance dependency. She agreed to lend her name to the facility, hoping to destigmatize substance use disorder treatment at a time when it wasn’t spoken about openly — especially by women — and options for treatment were scarce. In doing so, Mrs. Ford helped change the way treatment options — and those seeking it — are viewed by American society.

Bales said her mother would be "humbled and grateful beyond words" for the commemorative stamp tribute.

"To Mom, the stamp would be a heartwarming reminder of joys of millions of breast cancer and substance use disorder survivors who have overcome their diseases and individually added to her legacy of candor and courage," Bales said.

The 11 a.m. April 5 dedication ceremony takes place at the Eisenhower Health Annenberg Health Sciences Building, Helene Galen Auditorium, at 39000 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage.

Dedication ceremony attendees are asked to register at: usps.com/bettyfordstamp