Francine was born in 1938 in Ixelles, Belgium. She survived the Holocaust as a young child by being hidden with complete strangers, isolated from her family, moving from one stranger’s home to the next. She witnessed many horrific incidents and suffered abuse herself. Her father was murdered in Auschwitz and post-war she was placed in foster care and was forcibly sent to work at the age of 13. She suffered much trauma which has haunted her throughout her life. Her memoir is entitled A Hidden Jewish Child form Belgium.