celebrating hispanic heritage

75-Year-Old Dedicates Lifetime to Fighting for Migrants, Healthcare Equality Rights

NBC Universal, Inc.

A woman from the Bay Area has dedicated a lifetime to fighting for the rights of migrants and her voice has motivated changes in legislation at the national and local level.

At 75 years old, Beatrice Cardenas-Duncan's achievements are not stopping -- she is still fighting for healthcare equality rights.

“For me it is very important to begin to talk about the health disparities that exist in our Latino community,” said the health and wellness advocate. 

She was born in Mexicali, Baja California and moved to the U.S. at just 13, ultimately settling in the Bay Area.

But it was a trip to the doctor for her own health that ultimately put her on a path to helping others.

“I was diagnostic with leukemia and it’s call chronic myeloid leukemia CML, being diagnosed do not prevent me, I felt badly but it did not stop me to do the things I always wanted to do, to do what I wanted to accomplish,” said Cardenas-Duncan. “Very quickly even though I had this diagnosed I decided to go back to college and I started with my undergraduate at the University of San Francisco and I graduated in 2011 at the age of 64 years old so I said, ‘OK, I’m going to go for my master,’ and I obtained my masters at the age of 71 and now I’m pursuing my doctorate degree.” 

After being diagnosed, Cardenas-Duncan got a very personal look at the challenges patients - especially cancer patients - can have in our current health care system. 

“The medication cost in the average between $6,000 to $7,000 a month and my medication are only for seven days and my infusion is twice a day,” she said.

Not only did she win her battle with leukemia, she took her fight to Washington D.C. and spoke, repeatedly, in front of Congress. Those effects have now created change.

“Because of our advocacy, President Biden just signed a legislation that will stop the out-of-pocket expenses under us as retirees in Medicare at $2,000 a year while now it runs in the thousands of dollars,” said Cardenas-Duncan.

In fact, her advocacy has led to change and praise on both the national and local level.

“I received an award from president Obama, and I have it in my office, is a letter and a certificate and a beautiful pin, I have received an award from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors where they declare Jan. 16 as Beatrice Cardenas-Duncan Day, also last month I receive an award from the Cancer Society in Washington D.C. for my national advocacy,” she said. “This is what keeps me alive, and keeps me involved in my advocacy and my legacy is to leave a healthy world.”

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