TRP's Health Workshop Saves Woman from Breast Cancer

In our last quarterly newsletter, we shared with you the story of a woman seeking assistance to attain her citizenship who came to one of our New American Initiative (NAI) citizenship workshops while suffering from breast cancer. She had one of her breasts amputated, but no opportunities to receive further medical assistance to properly treat her condition. Aware of her hardships, TRP community organizer Franky Stebbins referred her to our Health Advocate, Araceli Lucio, for help.

TRP’s collaboration with Access Community Health Network to advocate for reducing incidents of breast and cervical cancer in our communities gave this female cancer patient the opportunity to receive the chemotherapy treatment she needed: 6 sessions every 3 weeks. As we reported last time, she was still due for the necessary radiotherapy to eradicate this life threatening disease.

Since the last newsletter, Araceli was able to further assist this woman, helping her to complete her radiotherapy, and successfully eradicating her breast cancer. “As she was able to receive the treatment necessary to terminate the cancer, she will now visit her health care professional for routine visits and, as soon she reaches her fifth anniversary of ending her cancer, she can start being considered a survivor” explained Araceli.

This type of work has helped TRP leverage funding, from STAND/Reach Programs and from The IL Department of Health, to continue advocating for the health of all women in our community.  TRP knows this is an ongoing and daunting task, as there are many underserved females currently deprived of basic social services imperative for healthy living.

For example, last month Araceli received a referral from a previous breast and cervical cancer workshop attendee whose friend was experiencing advanced stages of breast cancer and had lost one of her breasts so far. Unfortunately her friend’s legal status and illiteracy prevented her from receiving the medical care services that could help her eradicate the disease. Araceli, concerned about the health of this person, contacted state nurse Meredith Holmes Johnson, and both were able to leverage treatment for this female. However, as this cancer victim was to start her treatment, she was found pregnant and all treatment had to stop for the sake of her baby. Currently, we are waiting on some resolution on her part in order to be able to continue providing the proper treatment for her cancer.

From citizenship advocacy to health initiatives, we have been able to bring the community the sense of security and stability it needs to succeed. As we grow and our initiatives expand, we will continue serving as that portal to a healthier community, helping women and their families access the health and prevention care they need before it is too late.