Patient Story – “Iris”

Arlington Free Clinic’s Super Grandma is a breast cancer survivor, elementary school pick-up pro, and the cheery cashier at the fast food restaurant down the street.

After her 12-year-old son died of leukemia in her home country of El Salvador, Iris moved her family to the US and worked hard at three part-time jobs to provide for them. A few years ago, Virginia Hospital Center referred Iris to Arlington Free Clinic for ongoing care following an internal bleeding scare brought on by years of using alcohol to help cope with the grief of losing her son.

In addition to top-quality medical care, AFC provided Iris with a counselor and connected her with a great support group that meets regularly at the Clinic. She was grateful to have someone to talk to who fully understood what she had been through. Iris has stopped drinking. About a year after becoming our patient, Iris was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needed a mastectomy and months of chemotherapy and radiation. She’s finished with her treatment and is back to work a few days a week. She’s also back to her favorite job: picking up her grandkids from school.

“It’s all history. I have a new life now.”

Story from our 2016 Holiday Mailing. Read more about AFC’s commitment to ethical storytelling here.