Lestonnac Free Clinic’s Namesake

Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac was the foundress of the Sisters of the Company of Mary, Our Lady, in 1607. The Company was initially started in a time when girls were unable to receive a formal education. This fueled their mission to provide education to girls across the globe. Present day, they continue this work by providing education to underserved populations all over the world.

Sister Marie Therese served as a nun in the Sisters of the Company of Mary and dedicated the majority of her life to mission work in Brazil and Africa. She taught and cared for children in the various places she served. After a long tenure in missions, she was transferred to St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School, in Tustin CA, to teach French and music classes.

At 70 years of age she retired from teaching, but still felt she had a lot to give back. She and a few other ladies began making and delivering food baskets to families in underserved communities. They were shocked at what they saw, especially noting the extreme lack of health care access. As Orange County has no public hospital, these families were forced to either spend exorbitant amounts of money, or forgo care all together. Women would give birth in garages to keep from paying hospital bills they could not afford. This was the experience that drove Sister to found Lestonnac Free Clinic, named after the foundress of her Order who worked to ensure that the underserved were provided with the resources they needed.