Cry for life: Mother requests urgent help for teenager with leukemia
In a moment of deep distress, Karina Castro, mother of 14-year-old Berlín Cristina de León Castro, has raised her voice to ask for help regarding her daughter’s delicate health condition. The teenager, who has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), requires urgent intervention to access specialized treatment outside the country.
The minor’s situation has become critical following an aggressive relapse of her illness. According to her mother, Berlin has undergone more than 70 chemotherapy sessions. Although she initially showed a positive response, recent medical exams have revealed that the leukemia has returned with an involvement of more than 95 percent in her bone marrow.
The need for a bone marrow transplant
The specialists treating the young woman have determined that conventional chemotherapy is no longer sufficient to ensure her recovery. Given this diagnosis, the medical team has recommended an allogeneic bone marrow transplant as the primary path to save her life. Since the teenager does not have a compatible sibling who can serve as a donor, her transfer to an international hospital center is imperative.
We need the authorities to support us in managing a humanitarian visa. It is the only opportunity my daughter has to receive specialized treatment and find a compatible donor that will allow her to overcome this difficult trial.
Karina Castro, mother of Berlín
A call for solidarity
The Berlin medical process began in March 2026 at the Plaza de la Salud General Hospital, after presenting worrying symptoms such as bone pain and alterations in his blood cells. Today, the family faces the economic and logistical challenge of seeking care in the United States, which is why they are extending a call to Dominican society.
- Humanitarian visa application before the corresponding authorities.
- Search for unrelated bone marrow donors at an international level.
- Financial support from foundations, businessmen, and citizens to cover the costs of the transfer and the expensive medical process.
Alofoke Deportes joins the call of Berlín Cristina’s family, hoping that the solidarity of Dominicans and the prompt response of the authorities will allow this young woman to receive the medical attention necessary to recover her health.
