The Faustino Pérez Provincial Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital in Matanzas received a large donation of breast prostheses, special garments, and accessories intended for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, as announced by the hospital itself on its social media this Wednesday.
The shipment, managed thanks to the cooperation between the Sociocultural Project Cabildo Quisicuaba and the Dutch Foundation "Breast Prosthetics for Wings of Life," was received by the local project Amazonas de la Esperanza and will reach over 700 mastectomized women in the province, aiming to improve their quality of life, self-esteem, and body image.
The shipment includes external silicone prostheses, special bras, adapted underwear, post-operative prostheses, wigs, swimsuits designed to accommodate these attachments, dresses, shirts, pants, cushions for pain relief, materials for stomas, and other accessories.
"There are no words to express gratitude for the work that Liny and Peter van der Heijden do, which since their foundation has brought a piece of their huge hearts to Cuban women who have undergone mastectomy. Eternal thanks to our Dutch friends," wrote a supporter in the hospital's post. Another woman, who said she had gone through a mastectomy, expressed: "Only those of us who have gone through that process know how much it changes. It brings great joy to see that all of this is happening."
According to the hospital, the donation is intended for the Provincial Oncology Service of Faustino Pérez, under the coordination of Dr. C. Lena Alonso Triana, associated with a research project at the University of Medical Sciences of Matanzas.
The Dutch foundation, led by Liny van der Heijden and with Peter van der Heijden as treasurer, has over 18 years of support for Cuban women affected by this disease, in a sustained partnership with the Amazonas de la Esperanza Project that transcends borders.
This support group, established in 2006 with a psychological, community-based, and multidisciplinary approach, aims to expand its network to all 13 municipalities of the province, already having a presence in Colón, Jagüey Grande, Cárdenas, and the city of Matanzas.
In February 2025, the same Dutch foundation delivered a previous donation of breast prostheses to patients at the hospital, and in October of that year, a container of medical supplies arrived from Switzerland, also coordinated by Quisicuaba.
Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor among Cuban women. In 2023, there were 3,615 new cases reported nationwide, with a crude rate of 64.2 per 100,000 inhabitants and 1,813 deaths due to this cause. In 2024, the mortality rate reached 35.8 per 100,000 women, making it the second leading cause of cancer-related death among Cuban women. Every 20 minutes, a new case of cancer was diagnosed in Cuba that year.
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