West Caldwell's Susan Conner Meets V.P. Biden At Cancer Survivor Reception

West Caldwell resident Susan Conner was among dozens of cancer survivors invited to Vice President Joe Biden’s Washington, D.C., home for a reception to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The reception on Nov. 5 focused on survivors, the caregivers who helped them, and researchers.

Conner, a teacher’s aide at Pequannock Middle School, was diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago, but was thankful to be able to celebrate her long remission at the reception.

The West Caldwell resident was accompanied by her son, Eric, who is a cameraman for the Fox News Channel and has covered the vice president in Washington, D.C., and on trips overseas.

“It’s not every day I have a date with my son and get kissed by the vice president,” said Conner.  

Biden, who was accompanied at the reception by his wife Jill, said the disease does not just effect women, but also men.

"It doesn't have any boundaries, it's not confined to a neighborhood, a state," said Biden, calling it an "equal opportunity" disease that "affects the powerful and the powerless." 

The reception was held at the Naval Observatory, and included more than 140 attendees, such as Obama administration officials, members of Congress, survivors, doctors and caregivers affected by the disease.

Biden noted that a lot of progress had been made since the time he was told he had violated Senate rules by raising the word "breast" on the Senate floor when he sought to raise the issue of breast cancer. 

"But there's so much more to do," he said, despite advances in diagnosis and life expectancies 

Biden dubbed himself a "research junkie" and said he was convinced that scientists are "on the cusp" of beating it.

"I'm not being Pollyanna-ish," he insisted and said "we should be putting every single penny we can find" into research.

He also saluted caregivers for those who get this "ugly diagnosis," saying "if there's any angels in heaven, it's you guys."

He noted how important they had been after his own health incidents.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which began in 1985, is an annual campaign in October to increase awareness of the disease and encourage individuals to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages.