Inside Duke Medicine

Nevidjon witnesses history in the making

My 30 Minutes in the Rose Garden: Submitted by Clinical Professor Brenda Nevidjon, who is also the Oncology Nursing Society president
 

Friday, June 19, the e-mail invite came to the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) office. The president was going to sign the Family Smoking and Tobacco Control Act on Monday and ONS was invited to send a representative. I did pause for a minute because we had a faculty retreat the same day, but how often do you get to go to a bill signing at the White House? Sitting in the Rose Garden with representatives from many other advocacy groups and professional societies, I had to pinch myself. From what I could tell, I think ONS was the only nursing organization there.

As we were checked off the list at the White House gate, I followed Donna Shalala and David Kessler in and Mark McClellan was behind me. While we waited for everyone to clear check-in, I listened to conversations about family and work. These “names” and others who captured headlines frequently in their time in the government discussed pretty ordinary things. We were held in the East Garden until they were ready for us in the Rose Garden and entertained by a military band. The excitement in the group was palpable as many of the organizations had worked for decades for better tobacco control.

Proceeding to the Rose Garden took us past the famous portico that looks out at the Washington monument. In a few brief minutes, we were in the garden and asked to take seats.

The first couple of rows had names on the seats for some of the people I mentioned above plus the current heads of the FDA and the CDC and members of Congress. I was in the fourth row next to my colleague from the American Society of Clinical Oncologists. As we waited, I noticed that the famous teleprompter wasn’t going to work because of the sun and the photographers had great positioning close to the desk. The sun was hot and everyone was delighted by the shade when a cloud passed. Finally, a procession of four children representing the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and several senators and representatives came to the stage. Then President Obama and Vice President Biden joined them.

President Obama read/spoke from printed sheets and was eloquent in relating the significance of this legislation as well as using himself as an example of developing addiction to tobacco. The news has covered his speech thoroughly. After his comments, he moved to the signing table and the Act became law.

After thanking everyone on the stage, he moved to the audience and talked with those in the first couple of rows and came partially down the center aisle, within six feet of where I was standing. He wasn’t stopping for photos but didn’t mind pictures being taken and we all had cameras. I don’t know which member of Congress was in front of me, but he asked him to come with him for a few minutes and off they went. Vice President Biden was swamped and I could not get as close to him.

This is definitely on my list of top events in my life. ONS has worked for years on tobacco control and we were so pleased when this passed. To be at the signing, to be close to the leaders of our country truly made it memorable.