Elaine Montaña, a Cuban mother, is making an urgent plea for help on social media to secure a critical surgery for her daughter, who is battling a severe health condition. In a heartfelt Facebook post, she detailed her urgent need for specific surgical blades, unavailable at the island's pediatric hospital, essential for her child's operation.
"Good afternoon, I’m reaching out as I have no other options. I desperately need to find these blades to operate on my daughter, and they are not available at the pediatric hospital. Please, I need your help. I'm making this post out of desperation; my daughter requires surgery," Elaine Montaña wrote, accompanying her message with images of her daughter.
The photographs reveal the child's skin bearing clear signs of her serious condition. Elaine Montaña also shared a screenshot from a website offering the necessary blades for the procedure.
Specialized Surgical Equipment Needed
The required tools are "dermatome blades," specialized surgical instruments used to remove thin layers of skin. These devices are critical in various medical procedures, such as:
- Treating patients with extensive burns by harvesting healthy skin for grafting onto affected areas.
- Conducting reconstructive or plastic surgeries.
- Obtaining autologous grafts (from the same patient) for skin regeneration.
Aesculap, the brand mentioned in the image shared by Elaine, is renowned worldwide for its precision surgical instruments.
Elaine also provided her phone number, hoping for any assistance or information that might help her acquire the blades and save her daughter's life. It appears her daughter’s severe health condition is a result of burns suffered in 2023.
Community Response and Broader Context
So far, the post has sparked reactions and messages of support from individuals eager to assist this Cuban family in their challenging situation.
Over recent years, numerous Cuban mothers have turned to social media to highlight the dire shortage of medical supplies and the poor conditions of the island's healthcare system. These accounts underscore a healthcare crisis that forces families to seek desperate measures to save their children’s lives.
In January 2025, a mother in Banes, Holguín, sought help to build a cell within her home due to the lack of medication for her son's mental illness, posing a threat to her family. Similarly, in April 2025, Mayelin Valido Tejeda, mother of a five-month-old in intensive care in Santa Clara, issued an urgent call on social media to save her son, Caleb Aguilera Valido. In December 2024, a mother exposed the inadequate conditions at the "Julio Antonio Mella" polyclinic in Havana's Guanabacoa municipality, where she took her sick baby, highlighting the difficulties in accessing proper medical care.
In March 2024, Marielys Pérez, the mother of a 16-month-old girl in Pinar del Río, sought assistance in obtaining a portable ventilator necessary for her daughter, who had undergone a tracheostomy and gastrostomy.
These stories illustrate a growing trend of Cuban mothers, who, amid resource shortages and healthcare system inefficiencies, must seek external aid to meet their children's medical needs. Citizen solidarity and fundraising campaigns have become vital tools in addressing this healthcare crisis.
Elaine Montaña's situation and that of her daughter are part of this broader context of scarcity and hardship, where the lives of the most vulnerable often depend on the community's support and the generosity of individuals both inside and outside of Cuba.
FAQs on Cuba's Healthcare Crisis
What specific surgical tools does Elaine Montaña need for her daughter's operation?
Elaine Montaña needs "dermatome blades," which are crucial for procedures that involve harvesting thin layers of skin, especially in cases of extensive burns.
How are Cuban mothers addressing the healthcare shortages?
Many Cuban mothers are turning to social media to raise awareness and seek help, highlighting the severe lack of medical supplies and the poor state of healthcare on the island.
What role does community support play in Cuba's healthcare challenges?
Community support and fundraising efforts have become essential in addressing Cuba's healthcare crisis, providing critical assistance to families unable to access necessary medical resources.