Raudelvis Gómez Carabeo made a desperate public appeal this weekend to save the life of his son Raibel David Gómez Santana, a 10-month-old baby hospitalized in critical condition in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, who urgently needs a liver transplant, a procedure that cannot currently be performed in the country.
The call was disseminated by the activist from Sancti Spíritus, Yureibys Torresilla, from the Facebook group "HERE WITH THE HERO IN SANCTI SPÍRITUS! STREET BROTHERS!", after the child's father personally came to ask for assistance.
"The child's father came to pick me up at my house, and how could I refuse? I would never say no for anything in this world, and here I am," Torresilla wrote while sharing the message.
Raibel David suffers from biliary atresia without gallbladder or common bile duct, a congenital condition that obstructs the flow of bile to the intestines and causes progressive liver damage.
The Kasai surgery he underwent was unsuccessful, and the baby is now experiencing severe liver failure with ascites and edema, which has resulted in noticeable swelling in the abdomen and feet.
"What he needs is an urgent liver transplant. It cannot be done in Cuba," the father wrote in his message.
In a video shared along with the plea for help, the child's father stated that the family appreciates the care received from the Cuban doctors but acknowledged that the treatment his son needs cannot currently be performed in the country.
"We are very pleased with the care from the doctors here, as they have treated us very well, but the solution is not in their hands," he stated. He explained that the pediatric liver transplants the child needs can only be performed in countries like Spain or Mexico.
The father also explained that both he and the mother are compatible for a potential liver donation. "Both of us are compatible; whoever is needed will donate a part," he said.
The family is now facing a bureaucratic obstacle that could cost the child their life: to obtain a humanitarian visa from the Spanish Consulate, they first need a letter of acceptance from a Spanish hospital.
"What we need is a letter of acceptance from a Spanish hospital, like Hospital La Paz in Madrid. Without that document, the Spanish Consulate will not grant us the humanitarian visa," explained Raudelvis Gómez Carabeo.
The father stated that he has the medical reports and photographs of the baby, and that anyone interested in helping can contact him at the number provided in the post.
"Time is against us. Share this message," he/she requested.
The images shared on social media show the baby with a swollen abdomen and visible signs of jaundice, a common manifestation in patients with advanced liver diseases
The situation of Raibel David adds to other recent cases of Cuban minors who have required medical treatment abroad. The most hopeful precedent is that of Amanda Lemus Ortiz, the Cuban girl transplanted in Spain, who was diagnosed with the same illness.
Amanda arrived in Madrid in March 2024 in critical condition thanks to a solidarity campaign led by activists, without any support from the Cuban government. La Paz University Hospital operated on her for free, and in January 2026, she celebrated her fourth birthday with an exemplary recovery.
Another recent case was that of Rafael Junior Chávez Carrera, an eight-month-old Cuban baby with severe liver failure who unfortunately passed away on June 29, 2025 without receiving the transplant he needed. The child was hospitalized at the William Soler Pediatric Hospital in Havana, and his mother was a match for organ donation.
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