Laura Bush Defines Her Policy Role (1/3)

Presidential spouses in the United States often champion a cause. But usually, the issues they pick are close to home, such as promoting adult literacy programs or planting wildflowers along American highways.

Laura Bush, who is a teacher and librarian by training, started out in the traditional way. But as her husband's second term has evolved, her focus has shifted to issues abroad.

Last week, she was in the Middle East raising a sensitive subject for many Arab women - breast cancer. She says the social stigma" class="hjdict" word="stigma" target=_blank>stigma is so great in some parts of the region that many women fail to seek help until it is too late.

"So many more die there with breast cancer than in the United States because early detection is the only thing we have - the closest thing we have to a cure."

During an appearance on the Fox News Sunday program, Mrs. Bush acknowledged that part of the reason for her trip was to help improve America's image in the Arab world by highlighting concern for women's health. But she stressed that she learned as much about Arab women as they did about her.

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美国总统的配偶往往会负责一项（公共）事务。但通常她们所选择的多是国内事务，比如推进成人受教育计划或者提倡美国公路沿线种上野花。

劳拉布什，曾是一名专职的教师和图书管理员，起初也是按照传统的方式行事。但随着布什的第二次当选，她的重心已转到国外事务。

上周，她在中东提到一个对许多阿拉伯妇女而言敏感的话题--乳腺癌。她说中东地区有些地方的社会成见太深，以至于很多妇女很晚才寻求援助，使其病情到了不可挽回的地步。

"在这患乳腺癌死亡的人很多，而美国却少得多，原因就是美国人在患病的早期就能发现--这是我们可以治愈乳腺癌最快的方法。"

在《福克斯周日新闻》的节目中，布什夫人表示她此行的部分原因旨在通过强调关注妇女健康以改善美在阿拉伯国家的形象。她着重说她对阿拉伯妇女所了解的如同她们对她的了解一样（有限）。