Eliannis Ramírez, the mother of young Cuban boy Damir Ortiz, recently got a tattoo on her arm to honor her son, who tragically passed away last April after battling a mismanaged case of Ewing's sarcoma on the island.
"It was an immense pleasure to create this piece. We were filled with emotions, sorrow, and also joy in fulfilling one of the dreams Damir's mother wished to accomplish," shared Thefatherinktattoo2 studio, the artists behind the tattoo, on their social media platforms.
Back in April, Ramírez took to Facebook to reveal that her son was wrongly treated for Burkitt's leukemia instead of Ewing's sarcoma in Cuban hospitals. She believes this grave mistake led to her son's untimely death. "My son had Ewing's sarcoma, and your murderous doctors gave him chemotherapy for Burkitt's leukemia, targeting his spine," she wrote, a message laced with anger and frustration.
Her account detailed that Damir underwent several diagnostic procedures—three myelograms and three bone marrow biopsies—that failed to correctly identify his illness. Ramírez placed direct blame on the Cuban regime and its crumbling public healthcare system. "They killed him," she declared, asserting that her son was a victim of a system incapable of adequately diagnosing and treating serious conditions like childhood cancer.
After receiving flawed treatment in Cuba, Damir was taken to the United States, where specialists at Miami's Nicklaus Children’s Hospital confirmed that he did not have leukemia, as previously diagnosed in Cuba.
During this period, Ramírez chose to keep the true diagnosis confidential to safeguard potential legal actions. Activist Diasniurka Salcedo, instrumental in facilitating the humanitarian visa, explained that they withheld the information to prevent the regime from preparing a legal defense.
Key Questions About Damir Ortiz's Tragic Story
What was the misdiagnosis Damir Ortiz received in Cuba?
Damir Ortiz was misdiagnosed with Burkitt's leukemia and received inappropriate chemotherapy, while his actual condition was Ewing's sarcoma.
How did the misdiagnosis impact Damir's treatment?
The incorrect treatment led to ineffective management of his condition, contributing to his untimely death.
What actions did Eliannis Ramírez take following the misdiagnosis?
Eliannis Ramírez publicly condemned the Cuban healthcare system and sought treatment in the United States, where the correct diagnosis was made.