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The community of Cárdenas, in the province of Matanzas, mourns the death of María Díaz, an iconic nurse from the Hospital General Docente Julio Miguel Aristegui Villamil, where she led the pediatric respiratory ward of the Aristegui Villamil Hospital for decades and became an irreplaceable figure for generations of children and their families.
The hospital itself published an official tribute on social media that sparked a wave of condolences.
"Today we bid farewell to an exemplary woman, Nurse María Díaz, who dedicated her life to caring for the little ones," the institution wrote, describing the nurse as "a white-coated hero, a mother to many, and a beacon of hope for generations of children and families".
What touched those who knew her the most was her decision to return to the hospital even after retiring.
The healthcare center explained that "María returned to her beloved hospital after her retirement, because she never stopped feeling like a part of that family, of those children who, as she herself said, were her reason for being."
Yaisa Fraguela González, who knew her well, emphasized the extent of that dedication: "María was the soul of the pediatric ward at the hospital in Cárdenas. Even after retiring and moving to a different area, she continued to help from her position; because children tend to misbehave when it comes to getting an intravenous line."
That particular skill for the most challenging procedures with the smallest patients was etched in the memories of many families from Cardenas.
Alicia Vázquez, mother of one of her patients, expressed it clearly: "only with you did our son allow the vein to be accessed because you conveyed peace and trust in the most difficult moments. You were, are, and will always be the best nurse of all."
The pediatrician Edel Mariño Corzo, a long-time colleague, also bid her farewell with heartfelt words: "My María the one and only, how many hours of work together, an example of a nurse, with your work and your journey through life, you earned the affection of our community."
Her death also sparked a broader reflection on the state of public health in Cuba.
Fraguela González summed it up in a phrase that resonated with those who read it: "The iron generation is leaving us alone, and that hurts."
The expression refers to the professionals trained during the peak decades of Cuban medicine, whose dedication and commitment are considered difficult to replicate in the current context of a systemic crisis that the country is facing.
The exact cause of death and the precise age of María Díaz are not known, although the available images depict her as a woman of middle to advanced age. The last known photograph alongside a patient dates back to December 10, 2025.
"Hopefully, young people will follow the example of professionals like these," Fraguela González requested as he bid farewell to what he considered the soul of Cardenense pediatrics.
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