How a former abuse survivor is transforming lives of French foster kids: Video
After surviving 10 years of abuse at the hands of her father, she was "rescued" by French Child Welfare and Social Services, Celine Greco considers herself "on a mission" to transform the lives of foster children in France.
That rescue became the turning point in her life, propelling her to pursue a dream of studying medicine. Today, Greco leads the pain and palliative care unit at Necker Children’s Hospital in Paris (Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, Greater Paris University Hospitals).
According to Greco, her life’s work is driven by a simple yet powerful goal, ensuring that children in care have the same rights and access as children in loving families.
Greco’s journey from abuse survivor to head of a leading hospital department is one of resilience and determination. "This dream of going into medicine is what really kept me going," she recalled in an interview with the AFP. "It kept me going until I was discovered at the age of 14, thanks to a school nurse when I was in Year 11. And it’s what kept me going through my years in foster care. Foster care clearly saved my life, but it was still complicated."
Inside her hospital office is a collection of drawings - her personal "museum" - created by her patients. "All these drawings are of my patients, young and old. For example, here is a patient of mine who is an adult and whom I follow for chronic pain. And all the rest of the drawings are of children who are followed by our team - either because they have chronic pain due to genetic diseases or cancer, or because they are in palliative care due to genetic or neurodegenerative diseases."
Despite her professional achievements, Greco remains deeply committed to advocating for vulnerable children. "I see my commitment to child protection as a mission, a mission that is sometimes exhausting because it’s hard and sometimes discouraging. But I still see it as a mission," she says. "I think it would be unbearable for me to have succeeded—because today I’ve succeeded. I’m head of department at Necker, I have a husband, I have a nice apartment, I have a good life, I go on holiday—and to leave all those children behind, knowing exactly what the problems are, I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror. So even though it’s sometimes tiring, I have to do it. And I tell myself that I can do it."
Recounting the scars of her past linger. "I fluctuated between 31 and 34 kilos. And because I didn’t have any health care, either somatic or psychological, I accumulated these after-effects. Today, I have the bones of an 80-year-old woman. I have osteoporosis, and all my teeth are not really mine anymore. I have a good dentist, but I hardly have any of my own teeth left."
