AUBURN – Michael Girouard is president of his sophomore class at St. Dominic Regional High School. He has an A+ average and he dreams of becoming a doctor.

He also worries about his family and where he’ll live.

Health problems, including his mother’s breast cancer, interrupted his parents’ incomes and contributed to rendering them homeless.

His mother and stepfather live with relatives and are trying to get back on their feet. Because space is tight, Girouard’s mother decided he’d be better off with his grandparents.

“We weren’t able to keep the house,” said his mother, Nancy Holt. “The worst thing is not having all five of us together.”

Despite the trauma of being separated from his parents, Girouard, 16, is excelling. He’s on the math team. He’s into drama. He dances, ballet and jazz. He serves on the school’s Music Ministry, writes for the Academic Advocate and is in the Key Club.

In June he’ll head to Boston for 10 days to attend a National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, where he’ll learn about being a doctor.

But the $2,200 cost was more than he could afford. To raise the tuition Girouard saved from his part-time job, did bottle drives and fundraising.

He also got a boost from the Androscoggin County Medical Society, which gave him $1,000 to attend the forum.

The president of that group, Dr. Gregory D’Augustine, said people like Girouard are needed in medicine.

“He strikes me as the kind of guy who, if he finds medicine appealing, it would be good to have him,” D’Augustine said.

Girouard said he decided years ago to be a doctor.

“My mom’s friend is an RN. She and I talked about different options. I’ve always really liked math and science. And I like to help people.”

What his family has been through has increased his interest, he said.

“My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago. It was pretty tough for all of us,” he said. “At that time my parents were adopting my younger sister and brother. Everything came at once.”

In 2002 his stepfather’s father died, leaving his grandmother alone, so the family moved to Mechanic Falls to help her. During this time his stepfather was building a house next door. The grandmother died, and her home was deemed unsafe due to mold. The family had to move into the unfinished house.

Meanwhile, his mother battled cancer, undergoing eight operations and chemotherapy.

By 2004 her cancer was in remission. Her husband quit his job to start his own business. He was driving in New York when he was hit by a drunken driver. “He was out of work a while,” said Girouard’s mother, adding that the business didn’t work out.

Eventually, they lost the home they were building. The family moved to a Lewiston apartment, but left last fall because they couldn’t afford the rent. “At that point I started living with my grandparents,” Girouard said.

It hasn’t been easy, he said.

“You do what you can with what you have. That’s what we did.” Both parents are now working and hope to have their own place soon.

Holt said her son has always done well in school. “He puts pressure on himself to do better.” She described him as “a caring, sensitive, smart kid who looks out for others.”

Because some of his family’s problems were caused by a lack of money, Girouard recognizes the importance of education. He has long-term goals.

One day he hopes to live a comfortable life, and to help others.

“I want to be able to help out my parents, and be able to help out students who want to go to the National Leadership Forum.”