Francine is 41 years old and from a small town in the southern province of Haiti. She left school after the eighth grade because her parents could not afford to keep her in school. She now lives with her husband and is a street merchant.
Francine enjoys the social interaction that comes with being a street merchant. When she can, she likes to treat herself and buy beauty products, such as lipstick or eyeliner.
In April of 2016, Francine checked her breast and felt a small lump. As time went by, the small lump increased in size and became painful. The lump eventually popped out under her armpit and made it extremely painful to use that arm.
In November, she went to the hospital and was diagnosed with breast cancer. The hospital referred her to our medical partner’s care center, St. Luc Family Hospital. At the end of the month, Francine started her chemotherapy, which is a treatment that decreases her cancerous cells.
Francine will get a mastectomy on June 1. This operation will remove all the breast tissue, and in combination with chemotherapy, can give Francine her health back. Our medical partner, Innovating Health International, is requesting $1,085 to help fund Francine’s treatment.
After her operation, she wants to continue selling products and live her life with her husband. She will be able to feel less pain and feel like herself again.