Betty Ford Center Marks Former First Lady's 48th Recovery Birthday

The Betty Ford Center marked what would have been former First Lady Betty Ford's 48th recovery birthday Tuesday, celebrating not just a personal milestone, but a decades-long shift in how Americans talk about addiction.

Leaders at the Rancho Mirage facility say Ford's decision to go public with her own battle with alcohol and prescription drugs, at a time when seeking treatment carried deep social stigma, helped reshape the national conversation.

Vice President Heidi Wallace told staff that Ford's courage "didn't just break barriers, it built a movement that still saves lives today."

Ford co-founded the center in the Coachella Valley in 1982, channeling her own recovery into a resource for people around the world. Staff said the anniversary is also a reminder of how far the center's mission has come. 

Nearly 50 years after Ford's own recovery, the center continues to expand access to treatment and push against the shame that once kept so many from seeking help.