Dieudonne Sabourin François at 100 in Apopka, Fla., in 2020. She turned 103 in February. Photo courtesy of Violayne François.

Sixty-one year old Violayne François acknowledges what a gift it was to get support for caregiving her 103-year-old mother, Dieudonne Sabourin François. 

Dieudonne’s health is excellent. In fact, François must remind her mother constantly to use her walker because her mother’s energy just skips by it. Dieudonne does most things for herself, receiving only a little help from her daughter, such as cooking, errands and medications.

Dieudonne’s health is excellent. In fact, François must remind her mother constantly to use her walker because her mother’s energy just skips by it. Dieudonne does most things for herself, receiving only a little help from her daughter, such as cooking, errands and medications.

Dieudonne’s health is excellent. In fact, François must remind her mother constantly to use her walker because her mother’s energy just skips by it. Dieudonne does most things for herself, receiving only a little help from her daughter, such as cooking, errands and medications.

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J.O. Haselhoef is the author of “Give & Take: Doing Our Damnedest NOT to be Another Charity in Haiti.” She co-founded "Yonn Ede Lot" (One Helping Another), a nonprofit that partnered with volunteer groups in La Montagne ("Lamontay"), Haiti from 2007-2013. She is a 2022 Fellow for the Columbia School of Journalism's Age Boom Academy. She writes and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.