French Polynesia: 28 years after the end of Franceâs nuclear tests, these women are still fighting for compensation and care

Hinamoeura Cross , a 25 year-old Tahitian lawyer and mother, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013 .

Her family had all been diagnosed with thyroid or breast cancer, especially among the women.

In three decades , France carried out 193 nuclear tests in the region, 41 of those were above-ground.

A report on the story piqued her interest and made her question whether there was more to her leukemia than she knew.

Women have an up to 50% higher risk of having and dying from radiation-induced cancer than men.

Analysis from the fallout of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident notes that long-term radiosensitivity in females is higher than that in males.

Women in most parts of the world are primarily responsible for taking care of children and of the sick.

French nuclear testing in French Polynesia and Algeria has been linked to health risks.

In 2010 , after pressure from veterans and civilians, France acknowledged a connection between its tests and ill health.

But the compensation process remains long and full of technical hurdles, says LÃna Nourmand , the vice president of Association 193 , a nonprofit based in Tahiti that raises awareness about the consequences of nuclear testing.