SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Francine Maigue, a leader in the South Bay who was active in local government and the Asian American Pacific Islander community, will be laid to rest Wednesday after a battle with cancer.
Maigue passed away Feb. 22 at the age of 41. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, despite never smoking.
ABC 10News highlighted Maigue in November, when she became the first patient at Sharp Chula Vista’s Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center to receive an Ommaya reservoir, which is a permanent implant under the scalp that delivers chemotherapy directly to the cancer source in the brain.
“I feel the clock ticking all the time, but the truth is none of us know how much time we have,” Maigue said in November. “All I know is that we’re here in the now and there are people and projects and inititaives to be so grateful for.”
Maigue served as district director for former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher for eight years.
“She wasn’t just a good person, she was the best person. My heart will never be the same,” Gonzalez Fletcher wrote on Twitter.
“She was such an advocate for lung cancer detection,” said Theresa Maigue Bendorf, Francine’s older sister.
Maigue was born in the Philippines and raised in Chula Vista. She was active in numerous Filipino-American organizations over the years and wrote a regular column for The Filipino Press.
Bendorf said her baby sister was not only involved in politics, but also in the arts. Maigue was a dancer, choreographer, and director.
“She had a way of bringing out the best in the kids that she worked with. The best thing about her was the inclusive atmosphere she created within her projects,” Bendorf said.
Bendorf said she always aspired to be like her, adding, “Her infectious smile and positivity will be greatly missed. There was never a project we didn’t use each other as a sounding board, but our conversations about the funny little things are what I’ll miss the most.”
The family has established “The Francine Maigue Legacy Fund” to continue her passion for lung cancer awareness and the arts.
Maigue’s funeral is Wednesday, March 16, at 1 p.m. at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary (4300 Imperial Ave., San Diego). The funeral is open to the public.
