Expressions of Life

Expressions of Life, by Nektarios Markogiannis and Nadia Todres in partnership with IHI, tells the stories of women living with breast cancer in Haiti—the good and the bad. The images are raw and honest, displaying the scars that the women carry. Since our patients come in with advanced disease, the photos are powerful reminders of our frailty but also of the ability of the human spirit to persevere. We recorded their thoughts on the pictures and living with breast cancer as a woman in Haiti, written in both English and Haitian Creole. The color photos were taken two years after the black and white ones. They are a testament to the strength of the women and their lives outside of their disease. All the women featured have given their consent to appear in the book and they are proud to help spread the message of awareness in Haiti.

This project means a lot to us but it means even more to the women we work for. By supporting this project, you are giving them a way to make their stories heard and be advocates for cancer care in their country. No one knows better then these women the trials that face women with cancer all around the world. We continue to put our expertise in global cancer care and patient advocacy to ensure that we have an impact on the lives of those we serve.

Through our work, we have a glimpse of the extreme bravery and suffering of the women we treat. Their stories are powerful, heart breaking and push the boundaries of the humanly possible. Together, we watch how women fight for their lives, their children's education, and a dignified position in society against the most incredible odds. We believe that every woman around the world deserves the opportunity to fight cancer through proper treatment and psychosocial support. We also know that in order for this to become a reality, we need to create empathy and understanding between policy makers, international funding bodies, and patients. We also need to spread awareness in Haiti of breast cancer, its symptoms and treatments.

Click here to get your own copy of Expressions of Life.