After a three-week hunger strike to pressure local hospitals to take undocumented loved ones onto organ transplant lists, finally a victory. But the war has not been won.
The good news is that Lorenzo Arroyo, 36, who like his brother Elfego, 38, suffers from a deadly liver disease cured only with a transplant, was placed on UIC's transplant list Monday night.
“We came into an agreement that University of Illinois Medical Center will offer the treatment needed to Lorenzo Arroyo, they also agree to continue the dialogue with us and with Rush Medical Center to address the issues of urgent medical care for those who can’t access medical care due to their immigration status,” said Father Jose Landaverde in a press release.
Because of his legal status, Lorenzo, and many other undocumented sick, have been refused a spot on transplant lists.
It's this situation that sparked the hunger strike, which began June 3, by four immigrant activists all of whom have loved ones in need of transplants, including a mother whose son needs a kidney transplant.
Lorenzo was one of the strikers, but he was forced to abandon the strike for medical reasons.
Discussions last year between Landaverde, who is also a hunger striker, and Rush University Medical Center, resulted in Elfego being put on the liver transplant list earlier this year.
Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-muckrakers/2012/06/a-victory-for-the-undocumented-sick-but-hunger-strikers-still-have-tough-days-ahead/
{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}
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