Poly Ugarte: A voice in the battle against cancer

Posted On 22 Oct 2011

You have beaten cancer, do not hide them (the scars of cancer). If people ask you about them, you should say: I had cancer. This is not a contagious disease. If you don’t have a breast, don’t feel ashamed. Those are the wounds of war.”

After feeling the support of family, colleagues and poor women who were doing chains of prayers for her health, Poly felt she wasn’t alone. The journey to improve her health led her to Italy, where she underwent treatments for a long time.

“They decided not to give me vein chemotherapy, but oral. They shot me inhibitors hormone every 3 months.”

During his stay in Europe Poly knew what she really wanted to pursue in life.

“For the first time I decided to do something that I wanted to do. My life would change radically. I decided to stop working and I definitely dedicate my life to help others.”

Once in Ecuador, Poly met the high rates of breast cancer conditions in the country, where 80% of women who enter to SOLCA have watered cancer, while a 70% of women do not have financial resources to pay for the treatment, and die in their homes (a breast cancer treatment costs more than ten thousand dollars in Ecuador.)

Following know these statistics and have been a recent breast cancer survivor, Poly with other women cancer survivors, came together to plan a TV spot. Then undertook the feat to start Poly Ugarte Foundation.