Damir Ortiz dies in Miami after a struggle that shuddered

Damir Ortiz, the Cuban child of just 10 years who was transferred to the United States to receive urgent treatment due to a serious illness.

His death, which occurred on April 5 at Nicklaus Children’s Miami Hospital, marks a before and after in the conscience of the Cuban community inside and outside the island.

A badly diagnosed devastating disease in Cuba

Instead of properly treating his type 1 neurofibromatosis, Cuban doctors said he had a Burkitt lymphoma and subjected him to chemotherapy without conclusive evidence.

That medical negligence weakened his body and prevented him from receiving the right treatment on time.

The wrong diagnosis not only aggravated its condition, but also generated a chain of medical omissions.

The case has been a call for attention about the deep failures of the Cuban health system, where ideology weighs more than science.

Urgent trip to the US after a desperate campaign

Thanks to his mother’s effort and Cuban activists in exile, the child was able to leave Cuba on March 12 with a humanitarian visa. The Cuban community raised $ 38,000 for its air ambulance transfer.

That trip was possible after overcoming huge bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Cuban authorities. Despite the transfer, the deterioration in his health was advanced. I already carried two serious bacterial infections, acquired in Cuban hospitals.

Damir died at 5:00 am on Saturday, April 5, after receiving intensive care at Nicklaus Children’s Miami Hospital.

Although American doctors did everything possible, their body did not resist the sepsis caused by a highly aggressive bacterium.

Diasniurka Salcedo, one of the key activists in the case, called him «our warrior resting with the Lord» and thanked those who accompanied the family. Despite the tragic end, Damir died surrounded by specialized love and medical care.