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A group headed by a Salvadoran-born priest are completing the thirdday of a hunger strike to protest the refusal by two Chicagohospitals to perform organ transplants on unauthorized immigrantswho lack health insurance. "We're a little weak but we're not going to lift the measure untilthe hospitals agree to talks," Father Jose Landaverde told EfeTuesday. Several Latinos with relatives in need of transplants have joinedLandaverde in staging the fast at the Our Lady of GuadalupeAnglican Catholic Mission, a church located in the largely Mexicanneighborhood of Little Village in South Side Chicago. They include 35-year-old Mexican Lorenzo Arroyo who, along with hisbrother, 37-year-old Elfego, is in need of a kidney transplant. The two siblings and their oldest brother, 39-year-old Francisco,all suffer from a rare illness known as amyloidosis that theyinherited from their late mother, who passed away two years ago. Francisco, the only one of the three with his papers in order,received a transplant through the usual channels. Speaking deliberately while seated on a sofa at the church, Lorenzospoke to Efe about his decision to participate in the hungerstrike. "So far I feel OK, thank God," Lorenzo said. "He's giving mestrength to resist and as long as He gives me strength I must be onhunger strike until there's an agreement with the hospitals andthey decide to treat us." He called on the Mexican and U.S. governments to create abi-national fund to help undocumented migrants who, like him andhis two brothers, have serious illnesses, adding that "becausewe're undocumented, we're destined to die." Another undocumented Hispanic migrant in urgent need of assistanceis 24-year-old Jorge Mariscal, who needs a new kidney and has noway to afford a transplant that would cost between $100,000 and$250,000. His mother, Sonia Lopez, told Efe she will remain on hunger strikeas long as necessary to secure the necessary aid for her son andthe Arroyo brothers. Hilda Burgos, whose son received a kidney transplant years ago,also has joined in the protest in solidarity with the others. She said her son, Luis Jesus, now leads a normal life and she wantsother immigrants in the same plight to have access to organtransplants as well. The 40-year-old Landaverde said the protesters are only consumingliquids and, in Lorenzo's case, doctors have detected a worryingspike in his blood pressure. "It's difficult but we're going to fight because we know there arereally big-hearted people in the hospitals who are very committedto God and to people," Landaverde said. The priest was referring to the Loyola University Medical Center,"a Christian institution that should choose the moral and ethicalpath," and the University of Illinois Medical Center, which he said"values money more than people's lives." Neither institution has responded yet to the demonstrators'demands. A third facility, the Advocate Christ Hospital and MedicalCenter, reportedly has agreed to meet with the protesters onFriday. Landaverde said the message of the hunger strike is the need for"people to reconcile themselves with the poor and with immigrants." EFE. I am an expert from al2o3-ceramic.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China Big Green Egg Oven , Zro2 Ceramic, Alumina Ceramic,and more.
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