Washing machine, air conditioner, and fan delivered to baby with rare illness in Havana

The seven-month-old baby suffers from hematohidrosis, also known as "God's disease," which causes him to sweat and cry blood.

Equipos entregados a la familia de Mateo Domínguez Serrano © Collage Facebook / Johanna Jolá Alvarez
Equipment delivered to the family of Mateo Domínguez Serrano.Photo © Collage Facebook / Johanna Jolá Alvarez

A washing machine, an air conditioner (split), and a fan were delivered to a seven-month-old baby in Havana, affected by a rare condition known as "God's disease."

Johanna Jolá Álvarez, leader of the Huellas project, confirmed on Facebook that the appliances were donated to little Mateo Domínguez Serrano, who suffers from a rare condition called Hematohidrosis, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for both the baby and his family.

Facebook Capture / Johanna Jolá Álvarez

She also stated, “‘Huellas’ will provide Mateo's mother with everything raised in our account to help improve the quality of life for her little one,” said the activist, who announced that “we will soon be delivering the rechargeable ventilator he needs when the power goes out.”

Jolá also noted that the government contacted Mateo's mother, informing her that the necessary steps will be taken to provide them with housing, "since they are currently living with a friend. We hope that this comes to fruition."

Finally, he expressed his gratitude to the people residing in Cuba and in other countries who support the "Huellas" team in their selfless and compassionate mission.

The day before, the activist raised awareness on social media about the case, explaining that the baby suffers from a rare disease that she compared to "sweating blood," and noted that the child requires constant transfusions.

Facebook Capture / Johanna Jolá Álvarez

Jolá explained that Mateo's mother, Edisleydis Serrano Bouza, cannot work because she must devote all her time to caring for the baby, who requires constant attention due to his illness.

In the meantime, his father works as a courier to cover the family's expenses and the high cost of food that the little one needs.

He also explained that Mateo suffers a lot and needs to be in an air-conditioned environment to avoid bleeding out: "What his father earns is not enough to support his family and afford an air conditioner, as well as a rechargeable fan for when the power goes out."

In 2020, CiberCuba interviewed the mother of Dianelis González Medina, a Cuban woman who was 32 years old at the time and had a four-year-old daughter. Her life was normal until 2017 when she began to cry and sweat blood.

"She has the illness of God," her mother said, referring to her daughter's condition, a very rare ailment mentioned in a biblical passage about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The Gospel of Luke states that after the Last Supper, Jesus went to pray at the Mount of Olives, where he was seen sweating blood.

"And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Chapter 22, verse 44).

Suffering from that rare disease led Dianelis González Medina to seek support from the international scientific community and offer herself as a volunteer for research on the hematidrosis she experienced.

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