Fundraising Efforts for Jorgito, the Cuban Boy with Leukemia, Awaiting Migration to the U.S.

Jorge Reina, the father of Cuban child Jorge Esteban Reina Llerena (Jorgito), who suffers from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is awaiting an interview to emigrate to the United States, has launched a fundraising campaign to support the entire migration, legal, and hospital process his son will undergo if they manage to arrive in Miami. The Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has accepted his case for a bone marrow transplant.

In a heartfelt post shared on the crowdfunding platform Give a Hand, Jorge Reina recalls that they had previously applied for a tourist visa to allow his son to travel with his mother to the United States, but immigration authorities denied their request without explanation on January 23, 2024. They have now resumed the process, applying for a humanitarian visa.

“I detail all of this with tears in my eyes because I still don't see a solution to have him here (in the U.S.) to give my Jorgito a chance at life. There is nothing sadder than seeing my son's face in every video call, projecting an innocence-filled smile as if nothing is wrong,” writes the father in his post titled “A Grain of Sand to Save My Son Jorgito's Life from Leukemia,” which has raised nearly $7,000 out of the $45,000 goal since August 3.

According to the father, he left Cuba when Jorgito was eight months old. Now seven years old, Jorgito has been battling cancer for five years. “My son, Jorge Esteban Reina Llerena, seven years old, born in Cuba, is the protagonist of this sad story, still waiting for the only therapy that could save his life. When my son was just eight months old, I left Cuba, a country I have not been able to return to for reasons beyond my control. Then, in January 2019, I received the devastating news that my son was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.”

From that moment, Jorge Reina explains, chemotherapy treatments began, and efforts from Miami were made to send all necessary medications and medical supplies to Jorgito. However, his son's health deteriorated due to immunosuppression, and complications arose.

“Sadly, my baby had a relapse at the testicular level, leading to the removal of one testicle and repeated surgical procedures, along with monthly medical evaluations, lumbar punctures, and frequent bone marrow biopsies to check for disease proliferation or spread to other systems. This led to an intensified therapy (chemotherapy) according to Cuban protocols, which have a much lower therapeutic success rate (40%), yet we always held on to the hope of waking up from this terrible nightmare that began on January 15, 2019,” adds the father.

Despite their efforts, Jorgito experienced a second relapse. “Despite the available options, my son had a recurrence of the disease at the testicular level (remaining testicle), and we were told that the only option with the highest, albeit low (10%), chance of cure was allogeneic therapy (bone marrow transplant), which hasn't been performed in Cuba for several years.”

Understanding that the chance of hope is low (10%), that hope still exists, but not in Cuba. Therefore, it is urgent to transfer the boy to the United States as soon as possible.

“Today, I am not just a man drowning in sadness, but a desperate father who feels like he is sinking in desperation. We created this account to help cover part of the expenses for immigration procedures and the initial treatment my son would receive upon arriving in the U.S.,” the father adds on Give a Hand, expressing gratitude for any contributions and prayers to help Jorgito leave Cuba and fight for his life.