They raise over $40,000 so that a Cuban girl with cancer can receive treatment in the U.S.

The relatives of the Cuban girl Leyla Alejandra, diagnosed a few months ago with cancer in the mediastinum, have managed to raise more than $40,000 in just five days to obtain a humanitarian visa and subject the girl to intensive treatment in another country.

An account opened on the GoFundMe platform with a goal of $50,000 has received over 1000 donations and a total of $44,878 as of the time of publishing this note.

The family, who lives in San Antonio de los Baños, shared on that page the odyssey that has been for them the diagnosis and treatment of their two-year-old daughter, whom they wish to restore her smile.

His father, Alejandro Rivero Sordo, asked for help on social media so that his daughter "can heal, she deserves a chance," he says.

In the fundraising platform, an emotional post details that three months ago the family was smiling in anticipation of a new family member, and they picked up little Leyla from the daycare, "without knowing that in 15 days, a storm would come upon us when the word cancer in the mediastinum echoed in that room, clouding our lives with tears."

After the diagnosis of mediastinal Neuroblastoma, the girl underwent surgery and suffered constant discomfort from needles, IVs, and other side effects of the treatment, her mother says. Magda Abdorabbo, who is organizing the fundraiser started last May 19th, stated that despite the surgical intervention, cancerous cells remained that could not be removed.

Every day I ask myself the same question, why her? She is so small and innocent, she is just about to turn 2 years old, she doesn't deserve this. Now, after 3 months of treatment, the symptoms have returned in my baby, we have been admitted, and the inconsistencies in the treatment and technologies for better diagnosis due to the lack of resources in our country have made me decide to ask for help to restore my girl's health, so I can continue fighting for her happiness, for that energy that has always defined her.

The widespread crisis in Cuba is affecting thousands of children with chronic illnesses; and the family members of many cancer patients or minors in need of organ transplants have had to take control of the situation and manage humanitarian visas to save them.

Currently, several Cuban mothers with children suffering from leukemia are requesting humanitarian visas to treat them in hospitals in the United States, Spain, and other countries whose healthcare systems accept the requests.