He is a supervisor at the Canet-en-Roussillon high school, she is a French teacher for foreign adults in the department. But for four years, Nicolas Luciano and Madeleine Courtaud have also been young farmers in their free time. “My father died of cancer. A childhood friend too. It is also my fight against the injustice of this disease“, explains Nicholas.
So for four years, the couple has operated a plot of 600 m2 in Soler, near Perpignan, where he grows organic tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and apricots. “We use absolutely no product, not even Bordeaux mixture“, launches Nicolas, president of the association Les Jardins de Barbeuf. And all these vegetables are exclusively intended for critically ill children.
Good for children’s health, good for parents’ morale
“We are currently helping six families. They are located in Saint-Cyprien, Millas or Ille-sur-Têt.” Adeline, she comes from Prats-de-Mollo with her little Théo, three years old, suffering from leukemia. “It was the Perpignan hospital that told us about the association. You know, when the disease was diagnosed, it’s a world that collapses and seeing unknown people being so generous with us, it’s indescribable, it’s a ray of sunshine!”
In addition to a birthday present for her son, Adeline will leave, this time again, with several kilos of tomatoes that Theo will have partly picked himself in the field. “With leukemia, his immune defenses are very fragile so if he can eat healthy without any pesticides, it is necessarily better“, smiles the mom. “We read studies: 80% of cancers in children are of environmental origin. It still raises a lot of questions.“, abounds Madeleine.
Call for volunteers and agricultural equipment
These fruits and vegetables also mean less expenses because organic is not available today to everybody. “Especially when your child is seriously ill.” sorry Madeleine. “One of the parents often has to stop working. You have to go to different hospitals, sometimes pay for a hotel night… Not everything is always taken care of.“Adeline confirms:”I was a home helper and I can no longer work. Indeed, these fruits and vegetables offered, it feels good morally but also financially.”
The president of the Jardins de Babeuf association would now like helping more families. “We have space but we need arms“, launches Nicolas Luciano. To date, only 600 m2 of the plot of 6,000 square meters are cultivated. The association has already received financial donations (“including one from Australia“) but volunteers always lack of material. “We would like to recover or have a greenhouse loaned to us. If a local farmer can also lend us a tractor for a few hours, that would be great.”
To contact Nicolas Luciano: 06.27.82.77.68 or on the association’s facebook page.