Illegal immigrant gets a new kidney

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,3537821.story


As an illegal immigrant, Jorge Mariscal waited eight years for a kidney transplant he feared would never come.

His persistence paid off Thursday when he underwent the procedure at Loyola University Medical Center.

After years of uncertainties, Mariscal said he's excited about his future and grateful for the help he received. But he remains frustrated with a health care system that he worries might leave out an untold number of illegal immigrants in need of lifesaving treatments.

"Why can't we be treated the same?" he asked while sitting in his hospital room. "Health care should be a human right, not a privilege. At least give us the chance to fight for our lives with dignity."

Mariscal's treatment is far from over. The pills he'll need to make sure his body doesn't reject the new organ can cost upward of $10,000 a year for the rest of his life. And paying for those, just like the surgery, is complicated by his immigration status.

Although Loyola agreed to cover the costs of the transplant, Mariscal will have to pay for the medicine. He applied for a grant through the Simon Bolivar Foundation, a medical nonprofit, that would help cover his first year of anti-rejection pills. But without health insurance, he expects he'll have to pay for most of his medication.

To get a head start on his future medical bills, Mariscal started raising money three years ago. Together with Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Little Village, he has raised thousands of dollars through benefit concerts and other events.

The Rev. Jose Landaverde, pastor of the mission, said he felt compelled by the Gospel to help Mariscal after hearing his story.

"Jorge is a lot of hope for the community," he said. "I believe that the Gospel moves us to be in solidarity with one another."

Aside from his help with fundraising, Landaverde organized a 21-day hunger strike in June against hospitals that denied transplants to patients because of their undocumented status.

Landaverde said that after the strike, in addition to Mariscal's treatment at Loyola, the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center agreed to evaluate Lorenzo Arroyo, another illegal immigrant, for a possible liver transplant. Rush University Medical Center also placed Arroyo's brother, Elfego, on a transplant waiting list. Both brothers suffer from primary amyloidosis, a genetic liver disease.

On Friday, Landaverde led a short prayer at the Little Village mission to celebrate Mariscal's successful surgery. Church member Hilda Burgos bowed her head as the pastor recited his prayer in Spanish.

"I feel so happy for Jorge but at the same time so sad for the Arroyo brothers," Burgos said afterward. "We still have a lot of work to do."

Mariscal moved from Mexico to the U.S. when he was 1 year old. Now as a 24-year-old graphic-design student, he considers it his home.

He says he nearly returned to Mexico after doctors said he wouldn't be able to receive a kidney transplant in the U.S. because he is undocumented. He first went on dialysis after he experienced renal failure at age 16. As his condition worsened, he knew only a transplant would help him feel better.

Now that his surgery is behind him, he said he's happy he stayed stateside.

"It feels great to have a second opportunity at life," Mariscal said. "It's an overwhelming feeling. I don't think I would have been happy in Mexico."

Mariscal's mother, Sonia Lopez, is equally excited about her son's recovery — and her own. She gave one of her kidneys to her son. Transplant surgeon Amy Lu said both mother and son are doing well and that the kidney is functioning.

After she recovers, Lopez said, she plans to walk from her home in Melrose Park to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines. She made the same 12-mile pilgrimage in August after Mariscal was approved for the transplant.

"If you ask the Virgin Mary for a miracle," she said while standing next to her son's hospital bed, "you have to give thanks."
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I thought this was a heartwarming story that really showed what Christmas is all about!!!!

So I guess we're all out of Americans on the transplant list? Pretty good stuff!!

Originally Posted by 5ynd1cat3

"Why can't we be treated the same?" he asked while sitting in his hospital room. "Health care should be a human right, not a privilege. At least give us the chance to fight for our lives with dignity."

Fawk this guy and all the libs on this forum who claimed during the Obamacare debates that this wouldn't become an issue.

FWIW, I predicted this would happen October 2009 : http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...ight=obamacare

Originally Posted by myself from that thread

Cliff notes:

- Constitutional law requires all individuals (not citizens) are required to be provided social benefits
- If passed, healthcare will, because of the above, be entitled to both legals and illegals as it's a social benefit
- If Obama passes his healthcare reform excluding illegals, it will simply be overturned by the supreme court
- Obama is a legal student, he should be aware of the above
- The CBO agrees with the above and included illegals in their calculations for costs incurred

A right? So this guy believes he has a RIGHT to illegally enter our country and take those privileges EARNED through the taxes we pay. This is bullsh*t.

What an idiot

This has been going on since we've had health care. On top of that, we've all been paying for things like this since it's been going on.


Sucks, and the guy is a dolt (why can't we be treated the same, etc., etc.)

the fuack? Why do illegal immigrants think that they are able to have the same rights as us? And what happened to illegal immigrants being deported once they announce that they are so?

Originally Posted by B_Cyrus

the fuack? Why do illegal immigrants think that they are able to have the same rights as us? And what happened to illegal immigrants being deported once they announce that they are so?

Politically correct lame-ass politicians realized they can pander to this group for votes... so the WH has instructed ICE to forgo their normal deportation process and many states are now "looking the other way".

It's horsesh*t.

The irony of the whole thing is the libs celebrating that illegal immigrants are coming in lower numbers.. as if it's a result of better enforcement. It's because the economy sucks!

Originally Posted by 2000_328CI

Politically correct lame-ass politicians realized they can pander to this group for votes... so the WH has instructed ICE to forgo their normal deportation process and many states are now "looking the other way".

It's horsesh*t.

The irony of the whole thing is the libs celebrating that illegal immigrants are coming in lower numbers.. as if it's a result of better enforcement. It's because the economy sucks!

Why don't we condem the republican leaders who have illegals as housekeepers? That came out during the republican debates. LOL.

Originally Posted by 2000_328CI

Politically correct lame-ass politicians realized they can pander to this group for votes... so the WH has instructed ICE to forgo their normal deportation process and many states are now "looking the other way".

It's horsesh*t.

The irony of the whole thing is the libs celebrating that illegal immigrants are coming in lower numbers.. as if it's a result of better enforcement. It's because the economy sucks!

While the economy not being as strong has to be a factor, increased border patrol agents in the past 4 years is a factor, as well.

Originally Posted by phrozen06

Why don't we condem the republican leaders who have illegals as housekeepers? That came out during the republican debates. LOL.

Are you referring to Mittens, who fired her as soon as he found out? Excellent work Mr. Sharpton. You've blown this case wide open.

Originally Posted by phrozen06

Why don't we condem the republican leaders who have illegals as housekeepers? That came out during the republican debates. LOL.

I can't believe such a bigoted racist remark is coming from such a bigoted racist.

Originally Posted by 2000_328CI

Politically correct lame-ass politicians realized they can pander to this group for votes... so the WH has instructed ICE to forgo their normal deportation process and many states are now "looking the other way".

It's horsesh*t.

The irony of the whole thing is the libs celebrating that illegal immigrants are coming in lower numbers.. as if it's a result of better enforcement. It's because the economy sucks!

that's what gets me.. illegal immigrants cannot vote, so it's only their family members who can vote, which I take it are mainly hispanics who are harbouring illegal immigrants?

oh boo hoo.

oh and guys , it's illegal to call illegals illegals. if you do you're a illegal.

This. Story.

Originally Posted by mistrzmiasta

oh boo hoo.

oh and guys , it's illegal to call illegals illegals. if you do you're an illegal.

ftfy

I for one, am glad that Loyola volunteered to cover the cost of his surgery because he couldn't get healthcare because of his undocumented status, as well as the mission that is trying to gather money to help cover his cost of medication. Those are the definitions of charity.

And it sounds like he didn't get selected for a kidney off the waiting list, his mother volunteered for a direct donation. Also the very definition of charity.

I really have no issues with this story, adding the word "illegal" is just being used to stir up controversy.

Originally Posted by Act of God

Are you referring to Mittens, who fired her as soon as he found out? Excellent work Mr. Sharpton. You've blown this case wide open.

You're welcome LUSH RIMBALL. Is your maid still getting you prescription drugs.

Originally Posted by NOVAbimmer

I for one, am glad that Loyola volunteered to cover the cost of his surgery because he couldn't get healthcare because of his undocumented status, as well as the mission that is trying to gather money to help cover his cost of medication. Those are the definitions of charity.

And it sounds like he didn't get selected for a kidney off the waiting list, his mother volunteered for a direct donation. Also the very definition of charity.

I really have no issues with this story, adding the word "illegal" is just being used to stir up controversy.

Those are all great points. However he is running around trying to say that healthcare is a "right". The problem is that the enumerated rights stated in our Constitution and Bill of Rights are afforded to citizens, and he is not a citizen.

Originally Posted by phrozen06

You're welcome LUSH RIMBALL. Is your maid still getting you prescription drugs.

exposing you for the disgusting bigot you are is the only drug I'll ever need.

Originally Posted by 330iPilot

Those are all great points. However he is running around trying to say that healthcare is a "right". The problem is that the enumerated rights stated in our Constitution and Bill of Rights are afforded to citizens, and he is not a citizen.

I must have glossed over that part. But yeah, I never saw "health care" listed among the bill of rights, or granted in any of the enumerated powers of the federal government. Which kind of tells me that at the very least, it's a state power, not a federal one.

Originally Posted by NOVAbimmer

I for one, am glad that Loyola volunteered to cover the cost of his surgery because he couldn't get healthcare because of his undocumented status, as well as the mission that is trying to gather money to help cover his cost of medication. Those are the definitions of charity.

And it sounds like he didn't get selected for a kidney off the waiting list, his mother volunteered for a direct donation. Also the very definition of charity.

I really have no issues with this story, adding the word "illegal" is just being used to stir up controversy.

We almost always agree. Here, we do not. Reason being that this story is causing controversy because of the fact that it is putting a spotlight on an illegal claiming "we deserve healthcare too!". We've given illegals elementary education, we've thrown around the dream act (passed in some states this past election), and now some states are even offering in state tuition to illegals... now they will demand healthcare. Next it will be ______.

Like I said earlier, the problem is that politicians have a very real problem on their hand. On one side, you have "what's fair". Is it fair that someone sneaks across the border and makes demands despite contributing NOTHING to they system? On the other hand, you have millions of legal citizens who were born here to illegal families. These citizens are now being advertised to via these very government programs that offend me. "Hey despite the fact that your parents are here illegally, if you, a us born child, promise to go to school, we'll cover your education and allow your family to stay in the country" (all so they can win another vote). It's b*llshit.

Our debt isn't the result of stupid people in washington. It's not a lack of common sense or ignorance. It's a result of smart politicizing of issues at the expense of the american taxpayers. "Hey I can buy this group by doing this.. that group by doing that." And the solution is to just continue raising taxes on the legal citizens. It's b8llcr@p.