Present to honor the memory of his friend Francine Leca, Paul Belmondo went to her funeral celebrated at the Saint-Pierre church in Neuilly-sur-Seine on June 21, 2024. Touched by the disappearance of the founder of Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque (who was the first woman to become a cardiac surgeon), Jean-Paul Belmondo’s son had paid tribute to her a few days earlier on Instagram: “Francine you were an extraordinary woman and we will miss you rest in peace“.
Very involved in the association specializing in pediatric cardiac surgery founded in 1996 by Professor Francine Leca and Patrice Roynette, Paul Belmondo was very close to his friend and had confided to France Sunday in 2023 to have been involved for twenty years in the cause that she defended: “I remember this lunch with Professor Francine Leca, who explained to me what the association did for these children from developing countries, namely bringing them to France so that they could have their operations in the best possible conditions.” he confided.
A death that has shocked the 61-year-old actor, whose divorce from television food columnist Luana was recently announced (she is the mother of his sons Alessandro, born in 1991, Victor, born in 1993 and Giacomo born in 1998).
At the funeral, Nathalie Renoux, Inès de la Fressange, Patrick Préjean and the entire family of Francine Leca were present to say goodbye to her. A huge portrait of Francine Leca was displayed in the church during the ceremony.
Francine Leca, first French female surgeon
As a reminder, this exceptional woman leaves behind an indelible mark on the history of French medicine and the place reserved for women in the world of medicine. According to’AFP, at the age of 33 she became the first French woman surgeon in France. Passionate about cardiac surgery very early on, she became head of dedicated units at the Laennec hospital from 1989 to 1999. She then moved to the Necker-Enfants Malades hospital, which she directed from 1999 to 2006.
In more than fifty years of career, Francine Leca has operated on thousands of sick children. A specialist in congenital heart disease, the professional has also helped save the lives of more than 5,000 children all over the world, thanks to the association she founded in 1996, Mécénat surgical cardiac, and of which Ingrid Chauvin and Inès de la Fressange were especially godmothers.
