her story with cancer

Marie-Hélène, breast cancer

"Currently, I find myself in the street with the simple fact that I have breast cancer. I live in Matadi and have been diagnosed with breast cancer almost 3 years ago. In the absence of treatment, my case worsened and my family rejected me. I was able to benefit from some care thanks to people of good will but since then, I am abandoned by my husband and all my family. They say of me to be inhabited by evil spirits. My health is deteriorating every day to the point where I can not stay close to people because of the smell my body gives off. "

We met Mrs. Marie-Hélène during our field sensitization in Matadi (Kongo Central). In telling us her story, we concluded that this lady is the victim of a strong stigma related to cancer but also the lack of adequate information and treatment. Deep down, she is lost and frustrated by what happens to her.

As most of the cases we receive, patients are being left to their own resort first and foremost to traditional healers, who offer them solutions that can even lead to the acceleration of the patient's death.

In Matadi, there are no preventive structures for the fight against cancer with the exception of the NGO « Repos », which proposes a screening center with minimum services, and it is to meet this need that we have approached several institutions as much as possible : medical and administrative institutions, to offer our various sensitization sessions for the population.

The case of Mrs. Marie-Hélène is not a first. Many other women have cancer and are left abandoned by their loved ones. These women are also victims of stigma because of the beliefs that link cancer to an evil disease.

This case is added to the others that are not yet known and for which we must continue to fight for the changes to take place in the DRC.

---