The Cuban activist Yamilka Lafita, known on social media as Lara Crofs, shared on Facebook new photos of Amanda Lemus Ortiz, the Cuban girl who received a liver transplant in Spain, looking radiant in two everyday scenes: playing in a colorful ball pit and waiting for the subway.
The post carries a direct message to the health system of the Island: "Do you know that beauty waiting for the subway and playing in a ball pit? Share her so that the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba sees that it was possible to save her."
Amanda's story touched the hearts of thousands of Cubans both on and off the Island. The little girl, born in January 2022, was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a congenital liver disease that blocks the bile ducts and can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure.
Her case went viral in 2024 when her mother, in a post that gained traction on Facebook, publicly apologized to her daughter for bringing her into a world where the healthcare system could not meet her medical needs.
Amanda's illness urgently required a liver transplant, but the limitations in Cuba prevented her from undergoing surgery, so a humanitarian visa was requested for her.
For several weeks, activists, independent media, and Cubans who supported the cause raised the necessary funds for the girl and her parents to travel to Spain for a surgery. Finally, on March 15, she was underwent a liver transplant at La Paz Hospital in Madrid.
The recovery was not without complications: in December 2024, she was readmitted for the placement of a stent in the bile duct, and in January 2025, she underwent another procedure to remove a catheter.
However, the overall evolution has been positive. In October 2025, Lara Crofs confirmed that Amanda was getting ready to start school and was receiving attention for a language disorder, which is common in children who have gone through prolonged illnesses.
Upon turning four years old this past January, the activist described her as “a curious, playful girl with that smile this country denied you”, referring to Cuba.
The new images show a girl enjoying normal childhood activities in Spain, in contrast to what her fate would have been had she not been able to leave her country.
Cuba does not have an active pediatric liver transplant program, which forces families to seek treatment abroad. According to medical studies published in Cuban scientific journals, between 80% and 90% of Cuban patients with biliary atresia end up needing a transplant.
The case of Amanda has become a symbol of the shortcomings of the Cuban healthcare system and the solidarity of the diaspora. Her story gained even more significance after the death in June of a ten-month-old baby who needed a liver transplant and was unable to receive it in Cuba.
Related videos:
Filed under: