Cristobal's Medical Needs

My husband, Cristobal Lopez aka David Lopez, was detained by immigration in December 2017 where he was held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center up until last Friday, March 23, 2018.  During his detention he felt very sick.  My husband sought medical attention for approximately 1 to 2 months. He was initially denied medical attention and was told to stop asking for help and that a Dr would seek him out when she was available.. By the time my husband was seen, he was in a very grave condition and was sent to Alvarado Hospital where he was diagnosed with a 6 cm cancerous tumor in his intestines.  The cancerous tumor is moving towards his pancreas. My husband also had a hemorrhage that required a blood transfusion. The Dr said my husband was lucky to be alive; given he had a very low blood count it was a miracle that he hadn't died of a stroke.  The Dr at Alvarado told my husband that he needed surgery ASAP, and that he needed to see a specialist no later than 3 days.  The Dr also indicated that my husband's medical condition was so severe that they couldn't help him there at Alvarado and that he would need to be seen by a specialist and surgeon at UCSD.  Amongst other things, my husband was also required to take chemotherapy pills to reduce the size of his tumor so that surgery and removal of the tumor would go more smoothly.  Unfortunately, ICE did not have a contract with UCSD and my husband was returned to the Detention Facility.  ICE neither wanted to cover the medical expenses for my husband's condition nor assume liability were something to happen to him while detained.  As a result, two days later, my husband was released on his own recognizance. I took my husband to UCSD as a medical emergency. The medical staff helped my husband become stable again, however, they informed us that he would need to pay $500,000 in medical expenses if he wanted to pursue treatment. These costs would cover the surgery, chemotherapy, and specialized treatment by the specialist, as well as the 1 to 2 months of which I would need to be hospitalized. 

Myself nor my husband have insurance and we have 5 young children. I am really worried about my husband's condition because every Dr we see tells us that he is in a grave condition and needs surgery ASAP. My husband will continue to fight his immigration removal case with the help of our attorney who has also assisted us regarding these medical concerns.  We are extremely worried and in a state of desperation and limbo not knowing what to do or where to start. For this, we ask that if you could please donate some funds so that we can help raise the funds necessary for my husband. 

Thank you so much for your support, 

Nayelli Lopez