The Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) continues its efforts to support women diagnosed with breast cancer, aiming to improve their quality of life through comprehensive healthcare services. This commitment has enabled many women to share stories of recovery and resilience.
Ninet Zepeda, a 55-year-old retired public employee, is one such individual who benefited from IGSS’s specialized care. Diagnosed with breast cancer on December 14, 2018, Zepeda underwent six years of uninterrupted treatment at the Hospital de Gineco-Obstetricia IGSS in zone 12, Colinas de Pamplona.
According to Zepeda, her illness was linked to an excess of estrogen that led to cancer in her right breast. She described her experience: “My life went from tranquility to fear and the Social Security performed about 20 radiotherapies on me, a medical treatment that uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells and reduce tumors,” she recalled emotionally.
During her treatment, doctors removed 13 lymph nodes from her right breast. She also experienced hair loss and severe pain in her chest and arms. After completing more than 15 months since the end of her therapy, Zepeda expressed gratitude for the quality of care she received.
On May 22, 2024, Zepeda was declared a cancer survivor and marked the occasion by ringing a bell at the hospital. “I knew that IGSS would not leave me alone; everyone supported me during my illness. The truth is it is a very good institution; I had the opportunity to receive a service that would be impossible to pay for in a private hospital,” she said.
IGSS’s ongoing initiatives include partnerships aimed at workplace health promotion and educational outreach about diseases like breast cancer and stroke.
Alerts Sign-up