Young Cuban Loses Battle with Advanced Facial Cancer

José Jardiel Mejías, a young Cuban suffering from advanced osteosarcoma of the face, passed away on Saturday after a prolonged struggle with the disease.

The heartbreaking news was shared on Facebook by humanitarian activist Norge Ernesto Díaz Blak, also known as Noly Blak, who is dedicated to aiding those in need in Holguín.

"I was just informed that the young man from Mayarí passed away from facial cancer," he stated.

The untimely death of the young man has sparked an outpouring of grief and reactions across social media platforms.

Another activist, Nelson Álvarez (El Porfiao), who supported him until the end, posted a touching farewell message.

"Our warrior has passed, the pain is immense, we are devastated, but we will not cry. Jardiel was a lesson in life for all, a testament to courage and faith, let us all pray for our warrior," he wrote on Facebook.

"I am incredibly proud to have been his friend and to have been by his side during those days at the oncology center," he expressed.

Jardiel's death comes after months of public outcry concerning his medical circumstances.

Last November, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) was compelled to release an official statement after social media circulated accusations of neglect and medical negligence concerning the young man, who resided in the municipality of Mayarí, Holguín.

The claims were initially made by activist Adry Díaz, who stated that the young man was in critical condition and not receiving appropriate care.

According to the report, the young man—formerly a Greco-Roman wrestling athlete at the provincial ESPA—was battling the illness under extremely poor conditions.

Amid public pressure, the Health Directorate of Mayarí issued a note asserting that the patient had been receiving medical follow-up care from the 26 de Julio Polyclinic and the corresponding family doctor's office.

The statement mentioned that his treatment included medications like Carbamazepine and Tramadol, along with other pain-relieving drugs, and that prescriptions had been issued while accompanying a family member to the pharmacy to obtain available medications.

Nevertheless, the note failed to provide clear information about the continuity of specialized oncological treatment or the young man's actual progress.

Adry Díaz, meanwhile, claimed that Jardiel was living under extremely difficult conditions and was "totally abandoned."

She also detailed that his family had been severely impacted by illness and death: his father died of liver cirrhosis, his mother and sister succumbed to cancer, and the young man lived with a grandfather afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.

The case quickly went viral, inciting outrage and demands directed at the Cuban healthcare system, particularly due to the lack of medications and specialized care in the eastern region of the country.

The social media uproar forced the regime to respond, though without providing detailed information about the oncological care the young man received.

Now, following his death, Nelson Álvarez's public farewell has reignited the discussion, highlighting not only a personal story of struggle but also the broader deficiencies faced by many cancer patients in Cuba.