Congressman Cohen Meets with First Cuban Child Transferred to the United States to Receive Pediatric Heart Surgery in more than 50 Years
[MEMPHIS, TN] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today greeted Manuel "Manolito" Alejandro, a three-year-old Cuban boy transferred by Memphis's International Children's Heart Foundation (ICHF) from Cuba to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN for life-saving heart surgery to treat Tetralogy of Fallot. According to the ICHF, Manolito is the first Cuban child to be transferred to the United States to receive pediatric heart surgery since the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s.
The ICHF, a non-profit 501(c)(3) that works to bring medications, surgical supplies, diagnostic equipment and surgical training to medical facilities and staff in developing countries, has been working with Manolito and his family – his mother whom is also a doctor in Cuba – to bring Manolito to the United States for the surgery due to limited medical equipment and resources in Cuba. Upon learning of the ICHF's efforts, Congressman Cohen wrote a letter to Le Bonheur on behalf of the ICHF supporting the transfer. Last week, Congressman Cohen received word that the transfer had been approved and that Manolito would be traveling to the States within the week. Manolito has arrived in Memphis and his surgery is expected to take place soon.
"I was pleased to support Manolito Alejandro's transfer from Cuba to Memphis to receive medical care at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, and it was gratifying to meet Manolito and his family this morning at the hospital," said Congressman Cohen. "Le Bonheur is a jewel of the city of Memphis and a world-renowned medical institution that has contributed to global pediatric research and surgical innovations. I am confident in Le Bonheur's ability to partner with the International Children's Heart Foundation for Manolito's life-saving heart surgery.
I developed a love for Cuba when I was a 5-year-old with polio and had the privilege of meeting the late, great Cuban baseball legend Minnie Miñoso during an exhibition game in Memphis. Miñoso spotted me at the game standing with crutches and sent me a baseball through an intermediary white player. At the time, the South was segregated, and it was a daring gesture of humanity. Miñoso had the biggest heart on the baseball field, and we became close friends. Through Miñoso, I grew to have a deep appreciation for the Cuban people, so it was an honor to help facilitate Manolito's transfer to Memphis for Le Bonheur's medical care.
I commend ICHF's Executive Director Bret Rodriguez, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, the Rotary Gift of Life Mid-South and Cuban Ambassador JoséRamon Cabañas Rodríguez for their hard work during this process. Cuba has some of the world's best medical minds and practices and has made significant advancements in diabetes, cancer, and HIV research. Cooperation on medical procedures such as Manolito's surgery will help advance medical diplomacy between Memphis and Cuba."
"To my knowledge, Manolito is the first child brought from Cuba to the United States since the Cuban Revolution for pediatric cardiothoracic surgery," said Bret Rodriguez, President of the International Children's Heart Foundation and 6th generation Cuban American."I am proud of the cooperative efforts on behalf of the International Children's Heart Foundation, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the Mid-South Gift of Life, all three entities based out of Memphis, Tennessee. It has taken almost 6 months of back and forth negotiations with both the U.S. and Cuban embassies to arrange passage for the family, and I would like to thank Congressman Cohen for being instrumental in helping bring Manolito to the city of Memphis for surgery and care."
A photo from today's meeting can be found here.
In addition to supporting Manolito's transfer, after the United States reopened diplomatic relations with Cuba last year, Congressman Cohen also wrote a letter to the Cuban Ambassador urging his and Cuban Minister of Public Health Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda's support of the ICHF's efforts to provide medical equipment, resources, and training to surgeons, doctors and nurses as well as conduct side-by-side surgeries in Cuba. The Cuban government has also approved this initiative.
Congressman Cohen has, for years, encouraged normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba and the lifting of the trade embargo that has been in effect since 1960. President Obama announced his intention to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba in late 2014, and in August 2015, Congressman Cohen joined U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and a bipartisan delegation of U.S. Senators and Representatives at the official re-opening of the United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba. President Obama will be visiting Cuba in March. He will be the first sitting U.S. President to visit since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one of the world's top cancer research and treatment centers, has also treated children from Cuba who suffer from childhood cancer, continuing the Memphis tradition of providing world-class medical care.