Burn victim headed to Texas for treatment
News of freak accidents are reported every day, but when they involve children, the story takes on a sense of urgency. Tonight, we feature the sad tale of nine year old Darwin Cruz. For the past month, Darwin has been fighting to survive third degree burns to much of his body … and even though he is scheduled to leave Belize for treatment, tonight his family desperately needs your help.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Nine year old Darwin Cruz has been hospitalised since February eleventh, after he sustained severe burns to more than seventy percent of his body.
According to Wilmer Cruz, his son was with an uncle at a farm near their home in Buena Vista Village in the Stann Creek district. The child was using sawdust and gasoline to destroy an ant?s nest, but the container of fuel was left too close to the blaze.
Wilmer Cruz, Father of Burn Victim (Translated from Spanish)
?There was an explosion. We rushed him to Dangriga and then by helicopter brought him to Belize City. During the first two weeks, he spoke well, he ate well, drank well. But three weeks later his condition began to worsen. He talks now but I don?t believe he is getting better.?
A month after the accident, Darwin is still admitted to ward in stable but critical condition at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. Visitors are asked to protect the boy from infection with a series of medical protocols.
With the help of Yvette Burks of the Rotary Club, on Tuesday, he will be rushed by air ambulance to Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas.
Yvette Burks, Rotary Club
?Right now his neck is already?his chin is already adhering to his chest, you know, and burns can just leave patients monstrously ugly and so even if they do survive, they don?t have any quality of life, so that is always a huge part of it.?
Wilmer Cruz
?The doctors say they have done the best they could, but I don?t see my son getting better. He doesn?t look good and I am scared something will happen during his trip. I asked the doctors to please do what they can so my son could get to the States to get the help he needs.?
Darwin will travel to the U.S. with his grandfather, Adan, but the rest of his family will stay in Belize to fundraise to pay for the cost of the emergency trip.
Yvette Burks
?We are sincerely hoping that people will give five dollars, fifty dollars, a hundred, a thousand, whatever they can to help us pay for the air ambulance. Years ago when I first started to do this it used to be seven to ten thousand U.S. cost. I must tell you I had to fight and fight to get a cost just over fifteen thousand U.S. this time. We were getting quotations of up to twenty thousand, so the cost is very, very prohibitive, it?s frightening. We facilitated with getting the money as soon as possible in the interest of saving the child through this account, but it?s a complete loan.?
Wilmer Cruz
?Please, I implore on you out there to help us. We are poor and this will cost fifteen thousand U.S. dollars to send Darwin to the States. Please help us in whatever way you can. God will repay you.?
If you would like to help the Cruz family, you can make donations to the Burn Victim Fund, Belize Bank Main Branch, account number 505-2111.
