This past July, I recall watching about this on the local news, the video of the broadcast posted below. It kind of pissed me off then, the red tape and bureaucracy for this family to have to deal with.
Here's the story, this local teen Kerry Magaña just turned 15 earlier this year and she had been diagnosed with leukemia for the first time a couple of years ago, treated with chemo and radiation only to have it return a second time. Same same again, so this her third bout with the cancer, and not doing so well, was on schedule for a bone marrow transplant the following month in August.
Her mother, single and twice widowed, works full time and has other kids so couldn't be at the hospital 24/7 and totally stressed out, I'm sure. Kerry points out in this video how she was worried about her mother. "I just look for ways to make it less stressful on her, and having my grandma here would be a big plus on that," she said.
But her grandmother lives in Honduras and even after repeated requests for the U.S. Embassy there to grant her a visitor visa to come see her granddaughter before the bone marrow transplant, the requests consistently denied denied denied.
Family and friends tried to pressure for the visa, too, but to no avail. Doctors, social workers, and finally even our Congressmen got involved in how ridiculous this situation. Senator Kit Bond and Representative Emanuel Cleaver wrote letters requesting a humanitarian visa for Kerry's grandmother to visit.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that Grandma didn’t have enough money in the bank first. Then that she had too much. Also that she had reapplied too soon after a denial, and the last time she was turned away with no explanation whatsoever.
“I want my mother to see her grandchild while she is still alive. What do they want, her to die first?” That, of course, a frustrated Mom. Single mother, exhausted and anemic, she has passed out twice at the hospital when going to see her daughter.
Finally there was enough egg on the faces of the soulless asshole civil servants making the decisions that they caved and granted Kerry's grandma a six-months stay here in the United States.
So she eventually arrived here in Kansas City just last week, even though obviously a couple of months late after the transplant, but still was here nevertheless. An anonymous donor paid for her flight, and a local limousine company donated a ride to the airport for her, I thought that was pretty cool.
Too bad it was too little too late. By the time the grandmother made it to her granddaughter's bedside, Kerry's health had seriously deteriorated. The bone marrow transplant didn't take so well as hoped. Unable to even open her eyes to see her grandmother, or to speak to just say "Hey!" or maybe "I love you."
Or to say "Goodbye." Kerry Magaña died this morning. This sort of beadledom bullshit pisses me the hell off like you cannot imagine.
Kerry Magaña from July 2008
Here's the story, this local teen Kerry Magaña just turned 15 earlier this year and she had been diagnosed with leukemia for the first time a couple of years ago, treated with chemo and radiation only to have it return a second time. Same same again, so this her third bout with the cancer, and not doing so well, was on schedule for a bone marrow transplant the following month in August.
Her mother, single and twice widowed, works full time and has other kids so couldn't be at the hospital 24/7 and totally stressed out, I'm sure. Kerry points out in this video how she was worried about her mother. "I just look for ways to make it less stressful on her, and having my grandma here would be a big plus on that," she said.
But her grandmother lives in Honduras and even after repeated requests for the U.S. Embassy there to grant her a visitor visa to come see her granddaughter before the bone marrow transplant, the requests consistently denied denied denied.
Family and friends tried to pressure for the visa, too, but to no avail. Doctors, social workers, and finally even our Congressmen got involved in how ridiculous this situation. Senator Kit Bond and Representative Emanuel Cleaver wrote letters requesting a humanitarian visa for Kerry's grandmother to visit.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that Grandma didn’t have enough money in the bank first. Then that she had too much. Also that she had reapplied too soon after a denial, and the last time she was turned away with no explanation whatsoever.
“I want my mother to see her grandchild while she is still alive. What do they want, her to die first?” That, of course, a frustrated Mom. Single mother, exhausted and anemic, she has passed out twice at the hospital when going to see her daughter.
Finally there was enough egg on the faces of the soulless asshole civil servants making the decisions that they caved and granted Kerry's grandma a six-months stay here in the United States.
So she eventually arrived here in Kansas City just last week, even though obviously a couple of months late after the transplant, but still was here nevertheless. An anonymous donor paid for her flight, and a local limousine company donated a ride to the airport for her, I thought that was pretty cool.
Too bad it was too little too late. By the time the grandmother made it to her granddaughter's bedside, Kerry's health had seriously deteriorated. The bone marrow transplant didn't take so well as hoped. Unable to even open her eyes to see her grandmother, or to speak to just say "Hey!" or maybe "I love you."
Or to say "Goodbye." Kerry Magaña died this morning. This sort of beadledom bullshit pisses me the hell off like you cannot imagine.
D-Ro , thanks for posting this, I hadn't heard about this story. Too sad for words. I wonder how do those people sleep at night, it's shameful!
ReplyDeleteVery sad indeed. It made me angry, plus of course being a local story I've watched all the interviews and input yesterday after the girl passed away, so it just kind of pissed me off more so than most. Mostly because I'm pretty sure it's not so uncommon, this just happened to be local for me to know about.
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing about this beautiful child. I helped her grandmother get the Visa but it was only after the media became aware that these politicians got involved.
ReplyDeleteSad that it took so long but at least there's someone here to help comfort her mom while she mourns the loss of her daughter. Kerry was someone who helped other kids in Children's Mercy, and she helped so many kids. I know because she helped my child adjust to those words - YOU HAVE CANCER!
Rest in peace Kerry.
Thank you Michael, for your help too in getting the visa. You're right, at least she's here now to help while Kerry's mom mourns, and also for them to both be there for each other. I was surprised to find your comment, because in fact I had just the same evening before even posting this already had happened across and read your blog about Kaylee as well. God be with you, my friend, and be strong. -Doug
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