Jimmy Carter’s grandson provides update on his health as 99th birthday approaches

The 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter will celebrate his 99th birthday on October 1.

Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, serves as the Chairman of The Carter Center Board of Trustees and was a guest on Good Morning America on Thursday.

GMA3 hosts Eva Pilgrim and DeMarco Morgan began the interview by asking how his grandfather was doing.

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“Number one, as you know he’s been in hospice now for over six months. And so we didn’t know and we didn’t believe at the time that we were going to get to this 99th birthday. But they’re doing remarkably well. They are coming to the end of course at this time in their lives, but they are at peace, they are together, they’re at home, they’re in love and you don’t get much more than that and they don’t expect more,” Carter said. “So they’ve had an incredible life and I saw them last weekend and it was a wonderful thing to see.”

Carter spoke about the last 25 years that he’s been able to work with his grandparents at The Carter Center, highlighting the center’s work building peace around the world, his grandmother Rosalynn Carter’s being a driving force in the field of mental health over the last 50 years, and their work helping to all but eradicate Guinea worm disease.

The parasitic infection affected an estimated 3.5 million people a year in 21 countries in Africa and Asia in the 1980s.

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Thanks to the work of The Carter Center and its partners, including the countries themselves, Carter says this year there are expected to be less than 10 people affected by Guinea worm disease.

In celebration of Jimmy Carter’s 99th birthday, The Carter Center is asking the public to visit their website and share their birthday wishes with a photo or video.

Well-wishers can also share their birthday wishes on social media by using the hashtag #JimmyCarter99.

GMA3: What You Need to Know airs weekdays at 1 p.m. on WSB-TV.

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