There are no treatment centers where Tohono O’odham members can get colonoscopies or treatment for cancer on the nation, and so they are usually referred to a Tucson hospital for these services. Becerra said this is one of many areas of concern when it comes to helping underserved communities get the health care they need.

The pandemic, he said, made those disparities even more evident.

The first lady said the visit will help better inform her about what’s needed to help communities like the Tohono O’odham Nation provide better health care. Preventing cancer deaths is personal, she said, referring to their son, Joseph (Beau) Biden III, who died in 2015 of a brain tumor.

“Joe and I never stop,” she said of their work to prevent cancer deaths. “It touches us all. It’s a bipartisan issue.”

Tribal Chairman Ned Norris Jr. said they were grateful for the visit.

“We’re excited that you chose to come here,” he said. Reaching people on the 2.8 million acre reservation is challenging, he said.

President Biden announced Feb. 2 a reignition of the Cancer Moonshot. Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act in December 2016, authorizing $1.8 billion in funding for the Cancer Moonshot over seven years. The funding must be appropriated each fiscal year.