Yesterday Luz told me a tragic story about a family in Zone V. I’ve never been to that zone, but apparently it’s as poor as Zone Z.

The mother of the family died two years ago, and Luz is not sure what happened to the father. He either died earlier, or he disappeared years ago. The four kids now live on their own; their ages are approximately 15, 13, 8, and 6.

A year ago the 13-year-old wasn’t feeling well, so she went to a doctor. He told her she has cancer. In Huaycan, basic healthcare is free, and anybody can get things like stitches or antibiotics if they have a cut or the flu. But cancer isn’t basic healthcare, and treatments are expensive. Even if the girl had the money, she still would need a birth certificate to prove when and where she was born. She and her siblings, however, do not have these documents, so she hasn’t received any kind of treatment or even painkillers since her diagnosis a year ago.

The story of these four orphans is heartbreaking. Parentless and living in extreme poverty with three siblings, this girl found out she has cancer. And that’s it. No second opinions, no treatment options, no decisions about what to do next. That’s just it.