Elaine Survives Domestic Violence, Cancer and the Dangerous Streets of L.A.

Meet Elaine

Elaine is an L.A. native who loves life and lives with great enthusiasm. Her bright smile and bubbly laugh are infectious and enough to light up the room and the people around her. Elaine prides herself on being a loving mother who seeks to provide for her children regardless of her own situation. Even amidst the most trying times of her life, Elaine was able to obtain a Licensed Vocational Nurse certification as a means of providing a better life for her kids. Elaine is also a fighter, having overcome domestic violence as well as scoring victories in bouts with ovarian and cervical cancer. 

Elaine’s Journey

Yet, the road to those victories would take an immense toll on Elaine, causing her to battle depression and alcoholism, which would ultimately lead her to experience homelessness. Keeping up appearances to support her family while coping with the pain of past hurts made her climb to normalcy steeper and steeper every time until she found herself struggling out on the street. 

“Being a woman out in the streets is scary,” remarked Elaine. “Especially with the medical complications I was having, and wanting to provide for my family, I was getting overwhelmed.” Although a multitude of issues faced Elaine, she tried her best to stay positive. For a little while, the situation became bleak when Elaine was admitted to hospital off the street for unspecified abdominal bleeding. But Elaine remained steadfast in her faith that God had a plan for her, even in her struggles. And once her issue was diagnosed and treated in the hospital, Elaine would find her hopes revitalized during an extended period of recovery at Harbor Care Center.

How Harbor is Helping Elaine

At first, Elaine did not know what to think when she was told by the hospital that she was going to a recuperative care center. But after spending time with the staff and the residents at Harbor, Elaine was grateful that Harbor was her landing spot. “I get along so well with everyone here—patients, staff, everyone! The food is good, the people are good, I feel good here!” Elaine even had her family visit her at Harbor and she gave a grand tour of the place that was lifting her spirits. “When I showed my family where I was staying, it helped to put them at ease, which put me at ease!”

Apart from lifting Elaine’s spirits, Harbor’s Case Management team is helping Elaine with document acquisition, securing financial resources, and obtaining housing. And because her goals are being achieved in these areas, Elaine is excited to set more goals for herself focused on the time when she sets sail from Harbor.