In Haiti, getting medical care or proper medications for serious illnesses like tuberculosis can feel impossible. Christianise, a 40-year-old mother of eight, knows this struggle all too well.

Christianise is the sole provider for her children after separating from their father. She works tirelessly as a farmer in her hometown, a four-hour walk from Cazale. Her days are hard: harvesting crops, filling heavy sacks, carrying them on her head, and walking long distances to sell them at the market.

Months of this exhausting work began to take a toll on her body. Christianise started experiencing severe stomach pain, swollen feet, constant coughing, and rapid weight loss. These symptoms lasted for nearly six months, leaving her too weak to work or care for her children.

Desperate for help, she came to our clinic. The staff suspected tuberculosis, but diagnosing and treating the illness proved to be an uphill battle. The local nurse who was supposed to assist her was frequently absent, and Christianise repeatedly made the long, tiring trip to the clinic, only to leave without answers.

With time running out and her condition worsening, the clinic staff decided to act quickly. They arranged for her to travel to another hospital for the care she needed. This wasn’t an easy task—traveling in Haiti’s current climate of road insecurity is risky. Still, a mission staff member accompanied her to make sure she arrived safely.

Back at home, Christianise’s eldest daughter, only 16, stepped into the role of caregiver for her younger siblings. She managed the household, looked after her mother, and even braved the roads to deliver updates or supplies when needed. To stay as safe as possible, she planned her trips on market days when the roads were busier and less dangerous.

After many challenges, Christianise was finally admitted to a clinic where she began treatment for tuberculosis. Now hospitalized, she is receiving the care and nutritional support she desperately needed.

Christianise’s story is heartbreaking but not uncommon. In Haiti, access to healthcare is an uphill battle for so many families. Poverty, insecurity, and lack of infrastructure create barriers that can feel impossible to overcome. But stories like Christianise’s remind us why we keep working—because even in the hardest situations, hope can still shine through.