Jose Chua suffers from a life-threatening health condition. He needs a double-organ transplant to survive. The procedure can be done in the United States but his visa application has been denied. Twice.
Due to the urgency of his situation, Chua has applied a third time, hoping to be able to travel this time to the Mayo Clinic for his double-organ transplant. The 20-year-old was born with just one heart ventricle, meaning blood only reaches one of the four chambers. This leads to circulation problems, compounded by liver damage he's also acquired. The double-organ transplant he needs is not performed in Mexico where he lives so he's turned to the U.S. for help. Unfortunately, he hasn't had much luck.
Because visa applications are confidential, the U.S. Department of State has not said why Chua's was denied, despite providing all the necessary documents to support his trip. He's applying for a tourist visa, which is what is normally issued to foreigners requiring medical treatment in the U.S.
Chua has received help from the Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a group helping uninsured individuals receive the medical care they need. According to Kevin Forbes, the group's director, the Mexican's new application is being expedited.
To make sure that immediate assistance is provided for cases like Chua's, Forbes said that the group will be filing a formal complaint against the government once he is allowed entry into the country.
"The problem goes beyond Jose... The situation has become complicated and raises doubts as to the motives of why a consulate would deny a visa on two occasions and did not directly offer a humanitarian visa," said Forbes.
Myra Lopez, Chua's mother, believes her son was denied a visa because of concerns of how he would be able to financially support himself for the trip. To offset some of his initial treatment costs at the Mayo Clinic, Chua's friends and family have raised over $15,000.
Chua had a U.S. visa until 5 years ago. When it expired, the family did not renew it for financial reasons.
Forbes shared correspondence which gave him the feeling that U.S. Officials are giving him the run-around in his effort to assist Chua, with one email simply referring him to an automated customer service phone number and a State Department webpage.
By the time he was 12 years old, Chua has already undergone three open-heart surgeries. In 2013, his cardiac implant stopped working properly.
Photo: Alan Levine | Flickr
